 In the world of real estate, the ebb and flow of transactions often reflect societal changes, economic shifts, and generational milestones. In 2023, the real estate market experienced its lowest amount of transactions in three decades, with fewer than 4 million homes changing hands. However, as we step into 2024, a different narrative unfolds – a story of resurgence and unprecedented potential.
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 Greetings, and a happy 2024 to all! As we usher in the new year, it's also time to kickstart the spring market in the real estate world. I understand that it might seem a bit early, considering it's only January, but this is the ideal moment to lay the groundwork for a successful home sale later in the year. In this blog post, I'll share insights from a recent video where I discussed the importance of early preparation for selling your home in 2024. Setting the Stage for a Successful Sale: As a realtor, I often receive calls from homeowners in January, expressing their interest in selling their properties later in the year. During this period, we take the initiative to visit your homes, bringing in our team of stagers and photographers. Our goal is to provide you with personalized advice and implement strategies that will not only enhance the appeal of your home but also expedite the selling process and maximize your returns. Strategic Planning for Home Improvements: One key aspect of our early involvement is to help you allocate your resources effectively. Rather than embarking on major renovations that may not significantly impact your home's marketability, we focus on practical and impactful improvements. For instance, instead of overhauling an entire bathroom, we might suggest allocating those funds towards enhancing curb appeal with new bushes, ensuring your gutters are in top condition, or even getting your furnace serviced. Avoiding Unnecessary Expenses: It's not uncommon for homeowners to contemplate extensive renovations without realizing that certain areas of their home are already marketable. By bringing in our expertise early on, we aim to guide you in making informed decisions about where to invest your time and money. This can save you from unnecessary expenses and ensure that your resources are directed towards improvements that will genuinely boost your home's value in the eyes of potential buyers. The Importance of Timing: The essence of our early involvement lies in the belief that starting preparations sooner rather than later is crucial for a successful sale. By getting a head start in January, we can thoroughly assess your property, provide valuable recommendations, and help you implement changes that will make your home more attractive to prospective buyers. As we step into 2024, let's embrace the opportunities the real estate market has to offer. Planning ahead and taking action now will undoubtedly set the stage for a positive and successful selling experience. Here's to a fantastic year of real estate ventures! If you're considering selling your home in 2024, don't hesitate to reach out early for personalized advice and strategies tailored to your property. Cheers to a prosperous 2024! Watch my YouTube video below!  TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR HOME
COVID-19 had a profound impact on the housing market. The rise of remote work, and the decreased pressure to commute, has changed the way people think about the type of home they want to live in, with many buyers consistently wanting bigger homes in more suburban area. This, combined with record low interest rates, has created an extraordinarily hot housing market. Hopkinton is no exception, where the average time on market for a home less than $1.4mm is just a couple of days. Even with rising interest rates cooling the national market, Hopkinton remains seemingly insulated from these trends. For many people, spring is the time they start thinking about selling their home. A lot of times they think to call a real estate agent in after they’ve finished a project, such as a kitchen remodel, but this is actually not the time. The time to bring a realtor in is when you’re thinking of selling your home, because often a realtor can help the homeowner avoid a costly investment that will not create the return they think it will. Many times a fresh coat of paint and small touches like shelving are enough to make the house ready for sale. HOW TO HIRE A REAL ESTATE AGENT Beyond the obvious chemistry fit, there are several questions a homeowner should ask when evaluating who the right agent is for them. First, is the realtor engaged? Do they like the house, and are they taking notes? Are they asking you the right questions, such as what your fears are about selling the house? A good realtor will listen and work to assuage those concerns. What type of team does the realtor work with? Do they have an assistant, a transaction coordinator, and a full staff? If so, how much will you be paying them for these services? When the realtor walks through your house, they’re looking at the condition of it, the size of the space and ultimately the marketability of it. One of the biggest things people think a realtor will care about (but they don’t) is clutter. Almost all realtors will look past that, and focus on the structural elements, like millwork, hardware, and things that can’t be easily changed. Clutter is no big deal and can be handled during the staging phase. Buyers, however, do care about clutter. A home that is sparkling clean will almost always command more money. WHAT BUYERS REALLY CARE ABOUT For people that buy homes in Hopkinton, the number one thing they care about is how far the home is from the schools. It’s all about the schools, ultimately. Almost every buyer has already seen the house online, and so they come to confirm that it looks like the pictures and then ask how far it is to the schools. Most of the buyers are very involved with their kids. Access to the grocery store and commuter rail is also a factor sometimes, but those are lower on the list. COMMISSIONS ARE NEGOTIABLE Many people think that the amount you pay a realtor to sell your home is fixed, but this is not the case. In fact, in Massachusetts, there is no set rate. The commission is negotiated with your agent, and it’s up to your agent to decide how much of that amount the buyer’s agent will receive as a commission (the split). That information is put in the Agent Remarks section of the MLS listing, which buyers never see. I recommend you ask your agent how much they’re giving the buyer’s agent, because if that percentage is too low it will discourage agents from showing your home to their clients. You want to make sure it’s a win-win situation for everyone. SETTING THE PRICE After the initial meeting, the agent should come back to you with what they think your house will sell for. It’s never a bad idea to get multiple perspectives on this, because estimates may vary. A lot depends on how well the agent knows the Hopkinton market, and what similar homes have sold for. Again, you can always negotiate this – remember, it’s your house! Many agents rely on “price per square foot” to suggest a price for the house but rarely rely solely on this metric. You have to walk through the house and understand how the space is used and the finish quality to price it accurately. MARKETING YOUR HOME Most of the work to sell a house happens before it even appears online. Your agent should coordinate staging, professional photography, drone photos, and an interactive floorplan. Once all this is set the agent will put it on the MLS, and at this point it will be syndicated to Zillow, Redfin, and many other sites that buyers use to shop for a home. Traditional media, like postcards and print advertising, tend to be ineffective in our market; by the time those end up in front of a buyer the house is already sold. Open Houses are key, and your realtor should be there, not someone on their staff. Open Houses in Hopkinton are very well attended. AND THEN THE OFFERS ROLL IN… For most sellers in Hopkinton that price their home at $1.4mm and below, they’ll typically see multiple offers in a few days. The ratio of buyers to sellers is 70%/30%, so this is still a very strong market. Last weekend a house came on the market, priced at $950,000. Within a few hours it had 5 offers, and the second place offer was $1,057,000 ($107k over asking price) and they did not get it. This house has no source of heat in the master bedroom. This gives you an idea of just how feverish the real estate market remains in Hopkinton. Jeannine Coburn is a Real Estate agent with RE/MAX Executive Realty in Hopkinton. She has been selling real estate in Hopkinton for more than 25 years. Decorating the walls in your home should be fun, but when it comes to hanging larger pieces of art or décor, it’s easy to feel a bit intimidated. Of course, hanging a small clock can be as simple as sticking a nail in the wall. But what should you do about that wall mirror you just purchased? Or the hanging plant that’s starting to become…well, a sitting plant? I want to help you make all your wall decorating dreams come true. This eReport lists the tools you’ll need to place heavier items while walking you through simple steps for actually hanging the pieces — and how to plug up the nail holes when you move them. Happy decorating!  These days houses are selling in mere days, even hours in some cases. People are inclined to think snapping a few photos of a home and putting it on MLS is all it takes to get an offer or two, or even twenty!
I do have to say that yes, most homes will attract buyers and a lot of homes will get multiple offers. Two out to three buyers will waive a home inspection to encourage the seller to pick their offer. A large percentage of buyers will waive a mortgage contingency and have the cash to close the gap between an appraisal and the agreed upon purchase price. So why would a seller bother to paint walls, have a home staged, trim the bushes, etc when the house is going to sell anyway? The savvy seller knows that in order to get top top dollar, cleanliness, ease of living in the house, is what attracts top dollar offer and excellent terms and conditions. Nobody wants to buy someone else’s dirt or furnace that is on its last leg. There will be a buyer at some price but not the best price and with a bit of staging and preparation, a seller will not only get top dollar but terms and conditions that are super attractive. So bring in a professional cleaner, put in new carpeting where needed, have that HVAC system tuned up. If you have a septic system have Title V in hand so they know there are no problems with your septic. There are so many suggestions I can give to a seller to make their home not only sell for more money but with ease. If a move is on your horizon, please reach out to me and let’s talk about setting the right stage for your home! |
Jeannine'sBlogMy name is Jeannine. I have been marketing homes for sellers and finding homes for buyers for the past 25 years in the MetroWest area of Massachusetts. It is what I love to do. Archives
January 2024
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