Sorry Matt, but You're Wrong This Time!

I love watching The Today show on Mondays -- not only to get my Matt Lauer fix for the week but also because of the real estate segment they regularly run. I am usually pleasantly surprised by the advice given and agree that it is spot on... but not today! Today's segment on "5 Sure Ways to Sell Your Home in a Down Market" featured some great tips, but I adamantly disagree with the very first one. The real estate expert (her name escapes me at the moment, but like I said, I usually agree with her) said above all else to wait until after Super Bowl Sunday to list. Her reasoning was that no one is looking right now.
I disagree for SEVERAL reasons.
FIRST, interest rates are rising overall. A buyer can afford more home for the same payment now that he can afford if the interest rate goes up.
SECOND, people looking now are serious. You may not have as many showings as you would in the Spring, but the folks looking will mean business.
THIRD, most people will wait to list -- if you go ahead now, you have a leg up in that you aren't lost in the shuffle.
FOURTH, listing now gives you the opportunity to work out the kinks before the busy season starts. Perhaps you have an alarm... listing now and having a showing or 2 will give you the chance to have the showing instructions honed before the busy season.
FIFTH, the longer you wait, the more your price will be affected by shadow inventory. There are fewer foreclosures on the market now affecting your price than there will be in a month or two.

To speak to me about the pros and cons of listing now, just call 336-714-9444 or click. Have a great Monday!

Putting Your Home on an Energy Diet

Another great segment on The Today Show today... small things you can do to cut your energy costs:

-- seal out drafts around your windows with an insulation kit (@ $10 at Lowe's)
-- use self-adhesive weather stripping at the bottom of doors (comes in an easy roll)
-- change your thermostat to a programmable one (I need to do this!)
-- replace light bulbs with LED -- one costs about $16, but it has a life of 50,000 hours!

The Today Show

I very rarely agree with real estate segments I see on TV, especially ones where "experts" give tips on increasing a home's value -- those experts are usually from either an extremely distressed market or one that is experiencing a wonderful bubble, so the tips ALWAYS need to be taken with a grain of salt. Unfortunately, many people see them as gospel!
Anyway, the Today Show had an excellent segment this morning. I made a point to watch it after the teaser basically so I could disagree with it, but this one was right on. It dealt with inexpensive and simple things you can do to enhance your home's value, and most of them were do-it-yourselfers. I really loved the analogy the guest expert gave when talking about shutters... she said that just as eyeliner enhances a beautiful set of eyes, shutters enhance the "eyes" of the home (the windows). So true! Some of the others were even simpler:

Fresh mulch
Paint the front door
Replace your mailbox
Power wash the driveway
Replace cabinet hardware in the kitchen
Clean off and polish the fridge
Replace light fixtures in high traffic areas
Replace toilet seats and bathroom mirrors
Bleach tile grout

Simple, right? SO many of these are easy, inexpensive, quick fixes that really polish your home. The guest expert made another great analogy. She pointed out that in an overly saturated market (like ours), these little touches make a big difference. Buyers see every dollar they will have to put into a house, and they offer $2 less for every $1. Sooooooo true...