Why Buyers Continue Missing Out To Better Offers

It’s more than just bad luck when a buyer misses out to a more attractive offer. Normally it’s a bad strategy that causes the continued anguish of losing out to better offers. Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it, that phrase actually works well when attempting to purchase a home in Davis, California. How can a buyer put themselves in a more favorable position?

I have personally worked on both sides of the spectrum. First with sellers that have been fortunate enough to receive multiple offers, but also with buyers that were competing with other buyers for the same property. The process of preparing an offer for a buyer on a home with multiple offers can be agonizing for each party involved. It always boils down to who wants the property the most.

Some buyers will not get involved in a competing war, so that shrinks a percentage of the competition. Here’s an itinerary for those that want to stay in the fray. In most cases, the highest price wins out, but understand it’s not always the price that wins. Buyers have to be willing to bite the bullet and give up some of their contingencies, depending on how many buyers you are competing with. An example, let’s say you make an offer $20,000 above asking price, to make this proposal even more appealing, you might consider removing your appraisal contingency. This only makes sense if the property can justify the higher price. Buyer beware with this tactic.

There are many cash buyers on the market that are purchasing homes and making strong aggressive offers. There are ways to combat those buyers that can at least put you on a more level playing field. Removing your loan and appraisal contingency will do the trick. This strategy only works if you are completely pre approved for a loan and there’s no chance the property won’t appraise at value.

Your realtor should try to get as much information as possible about the sellers needs and requirements. They can do this through conversation with the listing agent. For instance, a seller doesn’t mind a quick close, but wants a 30 day rent back or they desire to sell their home “as is”. Trying to adapt to the sellers needs puts you in a better position.

I also use a tried and true philosophy that seems to work if you have a motivated buyer. This one takes guts and not for the weak at heart. A buyer offers $5000 increments depending on the amount of competition. For instance, a home has two offers, that third offer might consider going $15,000 above the listed price. There are many strategies that can put a family in a stronger position and these are just a few. Please visit my website JohnnyBrooksHomes.com for helpful tips on selling or buying a home or to view all homes for sale in Davis, California and the surrounding communities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now Is The Right Time To Sell A Home In Davis, California

Timing is important in every aspect of someones life, never more so than the optimum time to sell their home. There’s probably fewer landmines when selling a home in Davis than other areas and timing is not as important here than maybe some other communities. Even now as the inventory increases, well priced homes are selling rapidly and in some cases, above asking price.

Even as the year started, home buyers were out in mass visiting open houses and making offers. As home values continue to increase, up 20% since 2012, there are a few concerns that might reverse the current trend. Mortgage rates are expected to rise between now and the Fall season. This will affect how much home a buyer can purchase and possibly put a dent in the surplus of buyers that are currently on the market.

The other obstacle is the new Cannery Subdivision that is now laying the ground work for a Summer grand opening. The expected price of these new homes will be in the neighborhood of $600,000 and up. They will also have some of the highest taxes in Davis, but families looking for a new home will certainly wait for this opportunity. Beware of the first phase of any new subdivision, they always offer the least desired location.

Enough of the negative. We currently have 85 properties for sale in Davis at an average listed price of $694,685 and a price per square foot of $346. There are 77 homes in pending status that average $593,195 and a price per sq ft of $334. As of May 11th this year, there have been 158 properties sold at an average sales price $556,608 and a price per sq ft of $330.

Through the same period in 2014, there wer 139 Davis homes sold at an average sales price $551,372 and a price per sq ft of $306. In 2013 we had 163 sold properties at an avg. sales price of $483,344 and a price per sq ft of $273. The early signs are obvious that property values are up, but those numbers would also suggest that home values in Davis will continue to rise for the immediate future.

The pending home sales will increase the overall sales price over the next few months. Timing is vital when selling a home in Davis, California and the time is perfect for home sellers in the current housing environment. Please visit my website JohnnyBrooksHomes.com for helpful tips on buying and selling a home or to view any property on the market in Davis or our surrounding communities.

 

 

The Golden Rules of Selling A Home

The Golden Rules of Selling A Home.

The Golden Rules of Selling A Home

With society being so litigious, it’s no wonder the most expensive commodity anyone will buy or sell might create anxiety on the part of most consumers. When it comes to selling a home, there are numerous rules a seller should adhere to. Most of the principles start well before the sell actually happens. There are also circumstances that determine the sequence a seller should take.

Upfront Inspections: Rather you occupy your home or own it as an investment getting inspections prior to listing can save both money and suspense. A pest inspection will confirm any concerns with termites and dry rot. The cost for this inspection can run any where from $100 to $200. Using a local reputable pest inspector that doesn’t bid on the work they find is important instead of the $50 fly by night companies that give you a cheap inspection but does bid on their findings. can any one say conflict of interest.

Most owners that have been in their home for many years probably know the ins and outs of their home quiet well and find my next suggestion unreasonable. Get a full-scale whole house inspection. This inspection runs from $400 to $600 and they inspect every inch on the property with a fine tooth comb. This inspection should always be done prior to listing on investment properties, especially if the owner lives out-of-town and maybe sees the home sporadically. Whole house inspectors are jack of all trades but masters of none, meaning if they find a problem they can’t diagnose the issue. A further inspection by a competent expert to identify the problem would be recommended. Knowing the issues with your home before you get an offer can assist in negotiations and make life easier during this stressful process.

Disclose, Disclose, Disclose: The quickest road to litigation is through non disclosure. In today’s real estate there are numerous disclosures that sellers have to answer honestly. Any current or prior issues with your home should be disclosed to the buyer. If it’s broke fix it, is the best policy when it comes to defects.

Additional Incentives: When you get an offer on your home, negotiate fairly. I’m not suggesting giving your home away, but scrabbling over the most minuet aspect is pointless. Offering a buyer a one year home warranty is inexpensive ( less than $400) and gives the buyer the added security in case anything happens in that first year, but it also gives the seller the peace of mind of knowing the buyer is protected and less likely to demand those defects be paid by the seller six months after closing. Please visit my website http://www.JohnnyBrooksHomes.com for helpful tips on buying or selling a home or to view local area homes for sale in Davis, California and the surrounding communities.

What Sellers Need To Know About Selling Near The Holiday Season

Selling a home during the holiday season can be a nerve wrecking venture for a home owner. The stress of the season and the added importance of keeping a home ready to show on the spur of the moment is one of the reasons sellers take their property off the market until the new year. What about those families that have no choice but to sell. A job transfer or a vacant investment property can’t wait for next year. The features that sell a property any other time of the year is just intensified during the holiday season.

Price it to sell it: Properties naturally stay on the market longer at the end of the year because fewer buyers are looking. Sellers have to take that into consideration and price their home accordingly. The value you could get in spring and summer are no longer relevant. In a prior blog, I pulled up stats that back that up. Over the last three 60 day cycles, prices have dropped by 10% in Davis from the peak. The comparable sales you use to price your property should be the last 60 days, going back further than that has less relevance.

Condition is vital: All through 2014, properties sold in Davis that received the best value were those homes that were in pristine condition. The end of the year sale is even more important because of the shrinking demand. To expect peak value for a home that needs multiple improvements at any time is difficult, in the holiday season it’s virtually impossible. If your home has flaws a price adjustment is a must, especially when the buyer pool has been depleted. If you can’t lower the price, it might be wise to remove your home from the market and put it back on in February or March.

Make your home accessible: With the number of buyers dwindling In November and December it’s important to allow viewings and open houses. Make concessions when a family wants to view your home. You can’t make false judgements and assume this family isn’t serious and can wait until you feel like having your home shown. Find something to do on weekends and allow your agent to hold the property open. There’s no sure-fire guarantees that every home will sell at the end of the year, but you can certainly increase your chances by following these golden rules. Please visit my website http://www.JohnnyBrooksHomes.com for helpful tips on selling or buying a home or to view all local area homes for sale in Davis, California and the surrounding communities.

The Best Time of Year To Buy A Home

The Best Time of Year To Buy A Home.

The Best Time of Year To Buy A Home

The title is a bit misleading because there are circumstances that determine when a buyer can or will purchase a property. Anytime is a good time to buy a home, but the optimum time has always been the last couple of months of the year and the beginning of a new year. Let’s analyze why now is the best time to purchase a home.

Less Competition Than Normal: The majority of serious buyers have already bought a home before the Autumn leaves have fallen. The competition from other home buyers lessens the demand and increases your chances of negotiating with a seller on price and terms. It’s quiet common for the Spring and Summer buyer to compete against other buyers for the same property. Multiple offers are more the norm during the buying season, not so much in the later stages of the year. There’s a double edge sword in waiting though. The selection of homes are scarce in October through December. The chances of finding that special home is limited during the holidays.

Sellers Are Normally Motivated: For a buyer willing to wait until the end of the year to buy a home creates a perfect storm for that purchaser. The anxiety for a home seller is overbearing when their home hasn’t sold before school starts back. Their motivation increases ten-fold and the buyer benefits from this added impetus. As demand dwindles sellers might start making price deductions and other incentives that would have been unheard of three months ago. All is not lost for the seller though, the limited inventory can work in their favor when negotiating with a buyer. In Davis, the difference in asking price and eventual sales price is less than 1% during the Spring and Summer and slightly higher in the Fall and Winter.

Other Benefits In Waiting: Other minor aspects that work in the buyers favor are lenders have plenty of time to focus on your loan and you certainly won’t get lost in the shuffle of a loan officer trying to put 20 loans together at the same time. They can spend more time with your loan package than they normally would have time for. This also works for whole house, pest, roof inspectors. Much less hectic schedule for those professionals makes it easier to schedule appointments expeditiously. Patience is a virtue is true for those smart home buyers that have decided to wait until now to get serious about buying a home. Please visit my website http://www.JohnnyBrooksHomes.com for helpful tips on buying or selling a home and easy access to view local area homes for sale in Davis, California and the surrounding communities.

The Shift In The Housing Market

What does the housing market and weather have in common? They are both cyclical. Almost overnight there seems to be a major shift in the housing market. Some of the shift can be attributed to the time of year, but as we go through the numbers, the change will certainly catch your attention. If we use increments of 60 days, the last 3 cycles are startling.

The most recent cycle would be August 21st through October 21st. There were 90 properties sold during that period at an average sales price of $535,412. The average price per square foot was $308 and those properties averaged 35 days on the market. The second cycle would be June 21st through August 20th. This is considered the heart of the selling season for Davis and every other community in this country. There were 123 homes sold with an average price of $569,297 and a price per square foot of $313.

The last cycle from April 21st through June 20th will only reinforce the drastic changes the Davis housing market has experienced. There were 125 sold properties with an average sales price of $581,317. The price per square foot was $322 and these properties averaged 23 days on the market. That’s a 10.8% drop in home values since the April through June cycle.

The price per square foot also dropped slightly to 4% over that same period.  The average days on the market rose by 35% from the 1st to the 3rd cycle. These numbers are just small windows and not meant to alarm homeowners.  As a matter of fact, home prices are up 10.7% year to date from 2013. The average price per square foot increased from $283 in 2013 to $308 this year. That’s an 8.8% jump.

As the year’s peak selling season comes to a close, the inventory of available homes for sale will continue to decrease and buyers will be able to find good valued properties throughout the last two months of 2014. If you are contemplating buying or selling a home, please contact Johnny Brooks at Coldwell Banker in Davis. We out sell competing agents by a 3 to 1 ratio. Not only does Coldwell Banker in Davis sell more of our own listings than our competition does, we also sell more of Lyon’s and Re/Max’s listings than they do, by a wide margin. Please visit my website http://www.JohnnyBrooksHomes.com for helpful tips on selling and buying a home, scan my informative blogs and easy access to view all local area homes for sale in Davis, California and the surrounding communities.

 

Davis Home Prices Continue To Accelerate

We are nearly a third of the way through 2014 and Davis home prices continue to accelerate. Home values are up 16% over 2013 numbers and have jumped 22% since 2011. It’s significant when appreciation steadily increases over a three or four-year period and the market does a complete reversal from a strong buyers market to a controlled sellers market. The current inventory would suggest prices would likely continue the upward trend through the rest of this year.

There are many variables that have caused the jump in home prices. We should remember this has not been an instantaneous appreciation leap. In 2013, home values increased by approximately 10% over the prior year. So this has been a gradual rise. Home values have gained back most of the lost appreciation from the downturn. Davis home sellers are now more in control than at anytime since the housing boom in the early 2000’s.

If we just focus on some of the pertinent numbers this year compared to 2013, we can see why this is the most optimum time to sell. The inventory is down year-to-date. The average sales price has jumped by 16% this year. The average days on the market dropped from 60 days to 36 days. That’s a 40% improvement. The translation, homes are selling at a much quicker pace this year. The price per square foot increased by 10% from $263 in 2013 to $290 this year.

This improved housing market might suggest any agent or company can get the job done. Nothing could be further from the truth. it still takes a tenacious agent with the very best marketing plans to create a buyer frenzy that might generate multiple offers that exceed the initial asking price. It takes more than just placing a sign in the front yard to create the excitement and passion among home buyers as well as other realtors. The attention to detail is still of the utmost importance.

The local Coldwell Banker office represents more sellers and buyers than all of the other local companies combined. More sellers have put their trust in Coldwell Banker over the years and have been rewarded with great service and a financial rewarding experience. I want to personally thank all of my clients for helping me achieve the status of Top Listing Agent at Coldwell Banker through the first quarter this year. Please visit my website http://www.JohnnyBrooksHomes for helpful tips on selling or buying a home and easy access to view local area homes for sale in Davis, California and the surrounding communities.

Why Isn’t My Home Selling?

In a hot market, the assumption is every home sells as soon as it hits the market. That’s just not the case. Many homes are sitting on the market for an extended period of time for various reasons. As a real estate professional my goal is to supply knowledge, information, preparation and vital facts to assist homeowners with marketing their home. Through 20 years of working in this business, I have worked with hundreds of sellers that have successfully sold their homes and a few homeowners that chose their own path, that weren’t so successful. A look at what might keep a property from selling.

Price It Right: Like any product for sale, if it’s not priced right it won’t sell. When prices are gradually spiking on a monthly basis, it makes it difficult for some sellers to not want to jump way ahead of the current market with expectations that values will eventually catch up. This is a horrible tactic. If you market the home today, it should be priced based on present home values. This is why we have properties sitting on the market for many months instead of a few weeks. The other problem with over pricing your home at the beginning is its fixated in the minds of agents and buyers. The perception that the property is still overpriced, even with price adjustments is very real.

Condition Is Critical: Assuming you can generate top dollar for a poorly maintained home is not using common sense. The better maintained always, I repeat always get the best price. A fresh coat of paint and new flooring can do wonders for any property. Some sellers will neglect making improvements because they’ve heard the housing market has made a complete turnaround and condition is not a priority. The only time I might suggest a seller not make at least cosmetic improvements would be if finances prevented those upgrades.

Working With A Local Realtor: Here I go again harping on this subject. This has come up on numerous blogs that I’ve written. That’s how important this issue is. I specialize in the local market and know the neighborhoods like the palm of my hand. An agent from the Bay Area for instance, knows nothing about Davis outside of locating on a map. If you own a home in Davis, list it with an experienced local realtor. If you own a home in the Bay Area, list it with a local specialist in that town. There’s a number of horror stories that I could go into with properties that were listed with out-of-town realtors. List your local home with an agent outside the region and you might get a yard sign. There’s much more to selling a home than a sign. Choose your agent wisely. Please visit my website http://www.JohnnyBrooksHomes.com for helpful tips on selling or buying a home and easy access to view local area homes for sale in Davis, California.