Tips for Selling Your Home Archives - Raleigh Real Estate Blog

May 6, 2020May 6, 2020

Keys to Selling Your House Virtually—And Safely

If you’ve been thinking of selling your home in the Triangle, you’re likely wondering how the current health crisis might have impacted your plans. The good news is that selling your home while social distancing is very possible—in fact, real estate has hardly slowed these past few months! Here are some things you might want to know about selling your house virtually.

Selling Your House Virtually Is Very Possible

selling your home virtually on a computer

In a recent survey by realtor.com, most home sellers stated that they were generally willing to allow their agent and some potential buyers into their home for showings, though they would probably prefer to limit overall exposure.

So, bottom line, what exactly do you need to do for a successful virtual home sale that protects your health, the health of your household, and the health of your buyers?

Find an agent with a digital game plan

Now more than ever, it’s important for your home to have a strong online presence—that is, for it to be easy for a lot of buyers to find across various internet platforms. When choosing an agent to list your home, ask about their internet marketing strategy.

A good agent with a strong understanding of online marketing will be able to advertise your home on a large variety of websites, social media platforms, and more. They will likely offer high-end photography or videography, detailed listing descriptions, virtual tours, and more.

Use high-quality listing photos

selling your home virtually with high quality photos

Most buyers find homes with an online search. For a buyer to fall in love with and ultimately decide to buy a home, that buyer first has to like what they see online. And that all starts with high-quality professional-grade listing photos.

Good photography can make homes seem brighter and more open. It can also draw the eye to home features that you would like to highlight. And it will ultimately make your home look a lot more impressive online than a standard cellphone camera.

Give buyers an in-depth virtual look

Take those listing photos one step further with a virtual tour. Virtual tours compile professional-grade photography into a short video clip that essentially “walks” the viewer through the home, giving them an in-person feel of the flow and layout of the space.

Virtual tours are critical these days. In fact, in a recent realtor.com survey, homebuyers named virtual tours the #1 most helpful piece of technology for deciding on a new home.

Tell the buyer as much about your home as possible

Another important tactic for sparking buyer interest in your home is a detailed listing description. Let the buyer in on your home’s best features. Tell them about what makes your home so special. Give them the details—about the home and the neighborhood around it.

Work with your agent to craft a detailed and enticing listing description that highlights the perks of your home, your neighborhood, and your area. The more you can tell a buyer about your home, the more likely they are to find something to love.

Host a virtual showing with an agent

Interested buyers might want to get a few more details on your home before they schedule an in-person showing. One way a lot of agents have been bridging the gap between virtual tours and actual showings is with an agent-led video chat, or a virtual showing.

Virtual showings allow the buyer to connect with an agent via video chat while the agent takes the buyer on a live video tour through your home. Unlike with a pre-recorded virtual tour, the virtual showing allows the buyers to ask questions in real time and get an even closer look inside and outside.

Be open to in-person showings

Here in Raleigh, real estate is considered an essential business, which means that we are currently able to schedule in-person showings, provided we follow CDC guidelines. If a buyer loves your home enough to schedule an in-person showing, try to be as accommodating—and safe!—as possible.

Wiping down high-touch surfaces, offering hand sanitizer, and limiting in-person activity are all ways to help keep yourself and your buyers safe. You may want to have your agent offer some additional guidelines, like removing shoes, wearing gloves or face masks, or washing hands. You can even open cupboards or doors ahead of time to prevent the need for touching.

Thinking of Selling Your House Virtually?

If you’re thinking of selling a home in the Triangle, Linda Craft & Team would love to help! We’ll tell you more about the virtual home selling process, get your home looking fantastic, and price it to sell. With 350+ years of combined experience, we can confidently say there’s no better team to help you get the job done right! Just contact us at 919.235.0007 to get started.

January 13, 2020January 9, 2020

3 Selling Mistakes to Avoid in 2020

Selling your home is a big personal decision—after all, you’ll be letting go of memories in your old home and looking forward to more experiences in a new one. But it’s also important to not let your emotional attachments get in the way of what is, bottom line, a huge financial decision. Your home is likely one of the largest financial investments you’ll ever make, and it’s crucial to treat it as such. Here are three common selling mistakes to avoid when listing a home in 2020.

Overpricing your home

Even in a high-demand low-inventory market like we’re experiencing in the Triangle right now, it’s important not to overprice your home. You might find a buyer willing to pay your price—and still end up in trouble after the appraisal. Remember, a bank isn’t going to lend a buyer more money than a home is worth, so if you overprice, you might wind up renegotiating.

Don’t let your love for your home cloud your judgement. Ask an experienced professional to accurately value your home.

Letting your emotions interfere

selling mistakes include emotional attachment

If you’re like the average American homeowner, you’ve probably been in your home about ten years (or more), and that means you’ve likely made some memories (good and bad) and shared a lot of experiences with loved ones while you’ve been there. It’s natural to have an emotional attachment to your house, but it’s important not to let that inhibit your sale.

Don’t let your love for your home get in the way of pricing, negotiating, or even staging and showing your home.

Not staging your home

Your home likely has a specific “look”—a color scheme, a certain type of furniture or style of decor, or maybe just that warm lived-in look of kids’ art and friendly clutter. You’ve grown to love it (or at least, you’re used to it), but don’t make the mistake of thinking that all your buyers will, too.

When selling a home, it’s highly beneficial to remove some of the “you” from your living spaces, giving them a lived-in yet impersonal look. This allows buyers to picture their own personalizations.

Avoid Selling Mistakes with Us!

If you want to make 2020 the year you sell your home for top dollar, Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® is here to help! With our combined 350+ years of experience, we’ll ensure you price your home correctly, stage it beautifully, and keep your emotions out of the equation.

December 30, 2019December 27, 2019

Have You Outgrown Your Home? What to Do When It’s Time to Move On

As years go by, our priorities naturally change. Perhaps your household size has increased or decreased, or you’ve seriously downsized your number of possessions. Whatever the circumstances might be, it is important that your home matches your current needs.

It may see tough to initially admit that you are ready to make such a significant change, but the good news is, we are here to help you figure out the next steps when it’s time to move on.

Now’s the Time to Sell

If you are in the market to sell, then there’s even more good news for you: now is the perfect time. According to the most recent Home Price Insights report from CoreLogic, home prices have gone up by 3.5% year-over-year. Not only that, but research from the National Association of Realtors found that housing inventory has dropped by 4.3% since just last year.

This is not just a coincidence—these two trends are closely related. As overall inventory has decreased, demand has only increased, which has caused a surge in housing prices. By selling now, you stand to make a much higher profit than you would if you choose to wait!

Beginning Your Home Search

Of course, once you sell your home, you will have to revisit the home search process, perhaps for the first time in years (or maybe even decades!). Since the motivation behind selling your home is to find one that is more appropriate, then you should be sure to put plenty of careful thought into your decision.

Luckily, the Linda Craft Team can help! Get started by using our specialized search tool to narrow down your options based on everything from price and size to features and location. Once you’ve sorted out your wants and needs (and maybe even found a few options), give us a call. We’d love to use our database to find any homes in the Triangle area that fit your priorities!

Navigating the Home-Buying Process

There is much more to the buying process than just searching—but we’ll be around to help every step of the way. Wondering what your options are, from luxury to new construction? Check out our listings for each. Need a little help with the moving process? We’d be more than happy to send you our free guide on relocating to the Triangle area!

Whether you need help finding your perfect neighborhood or have a few questions about the mortgage process, you’ll find that we have a resource for your every home-buying need around the Triangle.

Ready to Find Your New Triangle Home?

Don’t settle for a home that doesn’t fit your lifestyle—make today the day that you being your new journey. When you work with Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® , we’ll put our over 350 years of combined real estate experience to work, whether it’s netting top dollar on your home sale or finding your dream home for a dream price.

Take some time to browse what we have to offer. Ready to get started? We’re just a phone call away!

December 13, 2019December 13, 2019

5 Big Reasons You Should Sell Your Triangle Home This Winter

We know what you’ve heard—it’s almost impossible to sell your Triangle home in the winter. And if you do, then you can expect to make much less than you would if you had sold in the spring.

In reality, that’s simply not true. In fact, winter can be a highly lucrative time to sell your home! …If you play your cards right and work with an expert.

If you’re on the fence about listing, here are our top 5 reasons to sell your Triangle home this winter.

Demand is High

Sellers handing over keys after selling their Triangle home in the winter.

No one wants to buy a home in the winter…right? Wrong. According to the National Association of Realtors‘ latest Buyer Traffic Report, buyer demand is still strong throughout the entire country. In fact, many areas of the country are seeing multiple offers on the same homes!

You Won’t Have to Deal with as Much Competition

Two people shaking hands over selling a Triangle home this winter.

While buyer activity is high, inventory is low—actually, it’s under the 6-month supply necessary for a normal housing market! Since homeowners are starting to stay in their houses for a greater number of years than in the past, fewer homes are popping up on the market as a result.

Although that trend is starting to shift a bit, it’s still the prime time to capitalize on less competition.

Buyers Mean Business

Paperwork needing to be signed after selling a Triangle home in the winter.

In other seasons, you get a lot of “tire kickers”—you know, buyers who aren’t really serious about finding a home and just want to browse their options. If you sell your home this winter, you’ll benefit from a greater number of serious buyers. Many people are looking to relocate during this time of the year, and are often on a timeline. That means that when it comes to home shopping, they’re in the market to make an offer—if they like what they see, that is.

Now’s the Time to Move Up

Thinking of upgrading to a luxury home in the Triangle area? Now’s the perfect time. While inventory is low overall, it’s much higher on the more expensive end of the market, meaning you have more negotiating power as a buyer.

According to CoreLogic, however, prices are projected to rise by 5.6% within the next year. Moving into a high-end home now means big savings in the future—and the potential for a much higher sale price when you’re ready to list!

Don’t Put Off Starting Your New Chapter

We understand how intimidating this step can be—not just selling your Triangle home, but making the move that comes along with it. But are your worries valid enough to put off taking this big life step?

When you work with Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS®, we’ll do everything we can to ensure that your questions are answered, your worries are relieved, and your home is sold for top dollar.

Ready to Sell Your Triangle Home this Winter?

Then Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® is here to help. Our team boasts over 350 years of combined real estate experience—so we know what it takes to successfully sell a home. Take some time to browse our resources—including our home evaluation and home score tools—and let us know when you’re ready to to put your property on the market.

December 9, 2019January 6, 2020

4 Quick Tips That’ll Get Your Triangle Home Sold Faster

Selling a home takes times. Oftentimes, if you’re listing, it means you’re relocating for a job, moving closer to loved ones, downsizing or upsizing, or making a number of major life changes…many of which are time-sensitive.

If you want to get your home sold fast (and not sacrifice profit), here are the top 4 tips you’ll need to keep in mind.

Make Buyers Feel at Home

According to the numbers released from the National Association of Realtors’ 2019 Profile of Home Staging, 83% of buyers agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to picture themselves in the space—which makes perfect sense. If your home is peppered with family photos and cluttered corners, it won’t exactly feel welcoming!

If your home is staged, then odds are it’ll also sit on the market for a shorter window of time. In fact, the report even mentioned that one-quarter of buyers’ agents said that staging a home boosted the offer anywhere from 1 – 5% when compared to similar homes for sale that weren’t staged! If you’d like some personalized tips on how to maximize the appeal of your Triangle home, our team would be more than happy to do a walkthrough.

Keep It Organized

Imagine walking into a stranger’s home and finding stacks of dishes in the sink, papers on the countertops, tables full of coats and bags…not a very inviting atmosphere, right? When you’re selling your home, that effect is amplified ten-fold.

According to the report mentioned above, the most important room to perfect is the kitchen. In addition to cleaning out the sink and scrubbing down the countertops, consider also baking fresh cookies or setting out a pot of coffee. Not only will it give the buyers something to enjoy during the tour, but it’ll also infuse your home with cozy smells!

Price It Right

The right price is the key to a quick sale. Price your home too high or too low, and you risk having it sit on the market way past your desired deadline. So, you’ll just use an automatic estimator to get the job done, right? Well…only if you’re okay with the possibility of using outdated data and not having every upgrade and repair taken into account.

Want your home priced to sell ASAP? Let us help. Not only can we price your home, but we can also give you a sellable home score that details exactly what its strengths and weaknesses are—as well as how quickly we think it’ll sell.

Give Buyers Full Access

Limiting buyer access to your home is one of the biggest selling mistakes you can make. Although showings might not always be convenient, they’re the only way a buyer can truly get a sense for your property. By limiting them in any way, you also limit your buyer pool.

It may not always be ideal, but try to be as flexible as possible with showings. After all, buyers won’t wait on you forever, so they may move on to a new home if you don’t respond promptly!

Want to Sell Your Triangle Home Faster?

At Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® , we have over 350 years of combined real estate experience—so we know what it takes to successfully sell a home. Take some time to browse our resources, learn more about what we have to offer our clients, and give us a call when you’re ready to take the next steps.

November 20, 2019January 6, 2020

Buyer Demand is Growing—Here’s How You Can Take Advantage of It

Typically fall—and especially late fall—isn’t an active time for the housing market. Buyers slow down around the holidays, fewer sellers list their homes on the market, and there’s a predictable lull before the New Year.

But this year, that’s not the case. In fact, buyer demand has grown in every region of the country, with the South in particular boasting the second-highest percentage of increased buyer traffic! Here’s how the numbers break down, and how you can take advantage of it as a seller.

Buyer Demand is Up

An agent leading buyers on a tour of homes during the late fall, a period of high buyer demand.

For the second month in a row, buyer interest is up in every region of the nation, including the Midwest, the South, the Northeast, and the West. This is likely largely due to low mortgage rates that have been present for most of the year, which makes buying in general more attractive and affordable.

Here in the South, we’ve generated the second-highest level of year-over-year buyer traffic growth, coming in at 6.4%—the largest jump in activity since last spring! The Western U.S. dominated the race at 8.9%, while the Midwest was lagging, but still in the game, with a .8% growth. Nationwide, the activity increase averaged out to 4.6%! For late fall and winter sellers, this is fantastic news

Buyers are Motivated

Home buyers on a tour of homes for sale.

One of the best things about selling during this time of the year? You won’t have to deal with buyers who are causally shopping. Instead, you can expect that most people out hunting for homes are hoping to move in before the new year—which works in your favor.

Since buyers will be on a timeline, they’re less likely to want long, drawn out negotiations. While they will probably be a little pickier about the home they choose, that just means that you have even more leverage—inventory is low, and if they walk away from your home, it could take them weeks to find another that they like.

Competition is Low

While spring and summer typically boast higher prices and more activity, that also means that other sellers are looking to capitalize on those benefits, as well. But in late fall and winter, seller activity takes a dramatic dip—and the limited listings on the market suddenly become much more attractive for motivated buyers.

There will still be other homes on the market, however, so don’t take this as an excuse to slack off on staging or marketing. In fact, staging and marketing are even more important during this time of year, since buyers are more selective in the homes they choose to tour!

Want to Bring Buyers to Your Front Door?

Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® can help. We have over 350 years of combined experience, which makes us perfectly suited to ensure that your home sells not only quickly, but also for the highest price possible.

Want to add your home to our list of over 10,000 successful sales? Take some time to browse our resources, learn more about what we have to offer our clients, and give us a call when you’re ready to take the next steps.

November 6, 2019January 6, 2020

Here’s The #1 Reason to List Your Home this Winter

Do a little research on the best time to sell your home, and you might think that it won’t be worth it if you’re not listing in the spring or the summer. While every season has its own unique benefits, that couldn’t be further from the truth!

It is true that spring and summer are traditionally more active months for buyers…but that also means they’re more active months for sellers, too. That’s why there’s one major benefit to listing your home in the winter!

The #1 Reason to List in the Winter?

A home surrounded by snow in the winter.

You can avoid that extra selling competition! Just because winter isn’t quite as busy as other months doesn’t mean buyers are completely inactive. In fact, while there may be fewer buyers total, the ones shopping right now are more likely to be highly motivated to make an offer!

If you’re hoping to capitalize on that motivation and the decrease in competition that the season brings, then November through January is the perfect sweet spot for listing. With inventory low, your home becomes a hot commodity—and captures the attention of serious shoppers before the spring inventory hits.

Inventory Trends

Assuming this year follows suit with last year, then December is looking like the prime time to capitalize on limited competition. Last year, inventory dropped by nearly 200,000 homes from November to December, then ticked back up by almost 100,000 come January.

And it’s not just the decrease in competition—it’s all about supply and demand, and the limited inventory of homes in the winter brings potential for higher prices. An added bonus for this year’s sellers? Mortgage rates are continuing to hover near record lows, meaning more buyers than usual may be motivated to hit the market!

Want to Make the Most of Your Sale?

A miniature white house sitting on top of a table surrounded by winter decor.

One of the keys to a successful sale? Pricing your home right. Not only will the right price ensure that you’re making as much as possible, but it’ll also bring the right type of buyer through your door.

If you want to find the most accurate and competitive price for your home, just get in touch with Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS®! Not only can we give you the most up-to-date number based on your home’s condition and local trends, but we’d also be more than happy to recommend a few value-boosting projects that can take your property to the next level.

List Your Home this Winter

Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t have to wait until spring or summer to get top dollar for your home. The winter season is full of benefits for sellers that are just waiting to be capitalized on!

If you’re thinking of listing your home soon, let Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® help. With our years of local experience and vast array of resources, we’ll price your property, help you make it look its best, and answer any questions you may have along the way. Ready to get started? So are we. Just give us a call!

October 23, 2019January 6, 2020

The Numbers Are in… and Now’s a Great Time to Sell

This year’s real estate market has been shattering all sorts of expectations—and the latest numbers are no exception. While you might think that spring and summer are the most profitable seasons for selling, this fall has the potential to prove you wrong!

Here are the highlights from the National Association of Realtors’ latest home-selling report.

Buyer’s Market vs. Seller’s Market

A "For Sale" sign in the front yard of a home.

Before we dig into the numbers, it’s important to provide a little context as to what they mean.

Buyer’s and seller’s markets are primarily determined by the amount of inventory available. If there’s less than 6 months’ worth of homes for sale, then prices will go up, leading to a seller’s market. On the other hand, when inventory tops 7 months, price tend to depreciate and the market swings in the favor of buyers.

With that in mind, let’s get to the numbers!

Sales vs. Inventory

A key in front of a miniature model of a home.

While sales have gone up, the most important takeaway from the report is the inventory. At the end of August, the total housing inventory sunk by 2.6% to 1.86 million homes for sale.

Unsold inventory is lower than the 4.3 month figure recorded last August, which represents a 4.1 month supply based on the current sales pace. With increased demand and limited supply, sellers are benefitting in major ways—namely, price increases.

Why the Increase in Buyer Activity?

People shaking hands over a real estate transaction.

Typically, buying slows down during the fall and winter months, but with mortgage rates remaining at near-record lows, it’s been hard to resist taking advantage of them. In fact, The Existing Home Sales Report also shows that 49% of properties were on the market for less than a month when they were sold.

The bottom line? If you’re planning on selling, now’s the perfect time to capitalize on ready, willing, and able buyers—and likely for a better price than usual.

List Your Home with Linda Craft & Team REALTORS®

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to put off your home-selling plans until the spring or summer—the last few months of the year are shaping up to make for a stellar seller’s market.

Want to take advantage of these favorable conditions and sell your home before the end of the year? Then let Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® help. With hundreds of years of combined local experience, we have the resources, expertise, and skill-set to ensure that your property sells for top dollar! Whenever you’re ready to get started, we’re just a phone call away.

September 13, 2019January 6, 2020

Ace Your Real Estate Experience: A+ Reasons to Hire an Agent

In a lot of ways, buying and selling a home is like a test. You want to make sure you study up on all of the materials and have the right supplies before you get started.

But maybe most importantly, you want to make sure you have a teacher that can guide you through the material in a way that’s easy to understand and sets you up for success.

If you’re on the fence about hiring an agent to help you buy or sell your home, here are a few ways we can help you ace the process.

Decode Contracts

During the real estate journey, you’re going to have to deal with a lot of paperwork. Sometimes it’ll be easy to understand, but other times, all of that jargon will probably look like a foreign language—especially if it’s your first time.

We’ll make sure you’ll know exactly what the papers say, why they’re necessary, and what they mean for you.

Breeze through Negotiations

If you aren’t used to negotiating, then this step in buying or selling a home can be tough to handle—especially since you’ll be emotionally invested in the process.

When you work with an experienced realtor, we’ll act as a buffer between you and the other party. Not only will we work to get the best deal possible for your wants and needs, but we’ll also provide a level-headed perspective.

Understand Pricing

If you’re selling your home, then finding the right price is the key to success. Price too low, and you won’t maximize your investment. Price too high, and you’ll miss out on buyers—and maybe even have to bring your price down.

Luckily, we can make sure you have the right price from the get-go. With our home valuation, we’ll take into account all of the local and national real estate trends, as well as any updates you’ve made to your property.

When it comes to buying, we can also help you figure out whether you’re getting a fair price for your purchase. The last thing you want to do is spend your hard-earned money on a home that isn’t worth it!

Translate Market Conditions

Did you know we’re in a period of nearly unprecedented drops in mortgage rates? That home prices have been steadily ticking up this year? That more and more millennial buyers are entering the market?

We know all about the intricate details that make up the market conditions. These details can help decide everything from how high you can price your home to how long it’ll sit on the market. Before you even list or start searching, we can breakdown what the current conditions mean for your experience.

Benefit from Experience

Above all, we know the ins and outs of buying and selling. We’ve been around the block more than a few times—after all, our team does have hundreds of years of combined experience in real estate—so we know exactly what it takes to be successful.

You might have other options when it comes to real estate professionals in the Triangle, but if you get to know a little more about our team, you’ll start to understand why our clients swear by us.

Don’t Flunk Your Real Estate Journey

If real estate is like a test, then we think we can help you ace it. At Linda Craft & Team REALTORS®, we have years of experience with buying and selling homes in Raleigh—meaning we know exactly how to handle whatever the market throws at us.

Take some time to explore our resources, whether you’re buying, selling, or just exploring the area, and give us a call when you’d like to get started!

August 30, 2019January 6, 2020

5 Simple Steps to Decrease Your Buying & Selling Stress and Avoid Information Overload

The internet is an amazing tool, but sometimes, having easy access to all of the information we could ask for can be overwhelming—especially when facing a major decision like buying or selling a home.

Which season is the best for buying? How do you price your home correctly? What do you need for your mortgage application? Oftentimes, conflicting answers can complicate our decisions.

Avoid confusion, take a deep breath, and stay on the right track by following these five steps!

Calm Down

According to productivity expert Jeff Davis, the first and most important step is to recognize any stress or concern that might be building up, and stop it in its tracks before it leads to more panic.

Slow Down

Take a minute, and let yourself breathe. The pace at which you can find information gets quicker and quicker as technology improves, and it can often make you feel pressured by unrealistic time constraints. Stop for a moment and collect your thoughts!

Think

Why did you want to buy or sell your home? Why did you choose now? What are you hoping to achieve? Remind yourself of your goals, and recognize anything that might be impractical. Are you still focused on what’s most important?

Plan

Now that you’ve gained some new knowledge, does anything about your search need to change? Do you need clarification on a few points, or are you worried about a certain outcome? Your agent is the perfect resource for any of your questions or concerns—that’s what they’re there for!

Act

Have you taken time to consider your options? Give it some thorough consideration before making any concrete moves, then meet with your agent and get the ball rolling.

Avoid Information Overload

Don’t get stressed out about all of the conflicting information on buying and selling—and don’t overload yourself by not coming up for air! Instead of consulting the World Wide Web, take your questions to Linda Craft & Team REALTORS®. With over 300 years of combined real estate experience, we can give you the right answer to any and all of your buying and selling questions.

Ready to Get Started?

So are we. Get in touch with Linda Craft & Team REALTORS®, and we’ll guide you through the confusing ins and outs of the real estate process. Get to know more about our resources, expertise, and local knowledge, and give us a call when you’re ready to explore all of your Raleigh real estate options!