Posts Tagged ‘time to sell your home’

5 Factors That Indicate It Could Be Time To Move

Saturday, May 30th, 2015
Time to Move

Think about it. Right now could be the perfect time to move.

I’m just getting back from relocating my sons in South Carolina, and now I’m thinking, “Is it time to move?” “Should we simplify our life and downsize?” “Do we need to move up to a bigger home?” “Is now the best time to sell, or will it be best to sell 5 years from now?” “Will the market be as strong then as it is now?” “Is it time to leave Brooklyn?” We need to start planning now.

Choosing to move is a big decision. There are many lifestyle and financial factors to consider and a lot of questions that must be answered. Here are 5 factors that indicate it could be time to move:

  1. Life events call for a move up to bigger or different. Company comes to visit. Some stay overnight and there just isn’t anywhere for them to sleep. An aging parent is moving in with the family because they can no longer care for themselves. Closet space is limited or overcrowded. The little kids are now big kids outgrowing shared bedrooms or the number of children in your family has increased. You’ve started an at-home business and need a home office. The space in your home just isn’t cutting it any longer. It could be time to move.
  2. Your life has changed, really changed. Baby Boomers, folks in their 50’s and 60’s, are becoming empty nesters. This is an important life change that trumps all other reasons to sell a home. For example, our sons wanted to establish their independence but realized Brooklyn was too expensive for them to live on their own. They chose to move to South Carolina for affordability and even bought their first home. Now my wife and I need to move into a home that sync’s with our empty nesting phase in life, a home that makes more sense for our life as we now know it. Becoming an empty nester, taking on a new job that comes with a new, long commute, retiring, divorcing, etc., are all significant reasons that can indicate it is time to move.
  3. Home improvements and landscaping are being neglected. Is it time to move on to a maintenance-free way of life? Are home improvement projects and landscaping no longer fun to do? Do you have time to keep up with it all? Maybe you are now physically challenged and are unable to paint, plant or hammer. If your home and yard are being neglected, it will take more money to get it ready to sell. What’s even worse is you may have to ask for a lower price to get your home sold. It may be time to move to a smaller and simpler home that you can take good care of.
  4. The market is strong. The shortage of houses for sale in Brooklyn is an extra incentive causing bidding wars. The backlog of homebuyers means multiple offers on new listings and higher home prices are normal. The value of a house in Brooklyn is soaring! According to the National Association of REALTORS®, total existing-home sales increased 6.1 percent in March – the highest annual rate since September 2013. The number of houses for sale, however, has experienced a fairly small increase of 2 percent above a year ago making it a seller’s market!
  5. You have equity in your home. Many homeowners have positive equity in their homes and don’t realize it. According to Corelogic’s Third Quarter 2014 Equity Report, 94 percent of homes priced at $200,000 and above have positive equity. You may have lost your home’s equity during the housing crash, but don’t stay there in that mindset. Have your home reappraised to find out how much equity you have built in your home. Selling may be an option once again, and it could be time to move.

Now just might be the time to move, to finally put your home on the market. The seller’s market may switch to a buyer’s market as more homes come on the market. Mortgage rates are predicted to stay low because of geopolitical unrest and lower oil prices keeping inflation in check. Take a look at all your opportunities. How long will they be as good as they are today? Staying in Brooklyn doesn’t get easier, and market where you are considering moving to is getting stronger.

Call your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate, Charles D’Alessandro at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email [email protected]. If you’ve been wondering about moving for a while, now might be the best time to move.

Sources:

http://www.inman.com/2015/04/29/boomerang-buyers-recovery-or-bubble-repeat/

http://www.inman.com/2015/04/29/pending-home-sales-rise-for-3rd-straight-month/

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/five-real-estate-trends-to-watch-in-2015-2014-12-29

6 Key Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Brooklyn Real Estate Agent

Tuesday, March 20th, 2012
hiring a Brooklyn real estate agent

Consider hiring a Brooklyn real estate agent like Charles D’Alessandro for the purchase or sale of your next home.

You’ve decided it’s time to sell your Brooklyn home. Now you’re dreading the process of hiring a Brooklyn real estate agent. Don’t worry! There are many outstanding agents available. Interview at least three agents, call a few of their clients and check their references before hiring a Brooklyn real estate agent.

To help you through this process, here are 6 key questions to ask before hiring a Brooklyn real estate agent:

1. How many homes have you sold in this area in the last year and how long did it take you to sell them?

Obviously, the more homes a real estate agent has sold, the better, and the quicker the homes sold, the better. Hiring a Brooklyn real estate agent who has sold nothing in the last six months isn’t the best idea. If they haven’t sold many Brooklyn homes, they most likely do not know how to sell in the current market.

2. How much did the Brooklyn homes you sold sell for?

Hire a Brooklyn real estate agent who has sold homes priced similar to yours. He or she will know how to determine the best price for your home. They will know how to market your home well, too.

3. Do you live and work in the Brooklyn area?

It’s important to hire an agent who thoroughly knows the Brooklyn real estate market. You want a real estate agent who knows what homes are selling for in today’s market, what buyers in your area are looking for and what’s for sale in your area right now.

4. How do you market homes online?

You want to be hiring a Brooklyn real estate agent who is comfortable using Facebook, Twitter or YouTube to market Brooklyn homes. Look at the agents’ websites to see how many photos and videos they’ve posted for other homes they’re selling.  Visit real estate websites such as Realtor.com, Yahoo Real Estate, Trulia and Zillow to see how the agent showcases homes he or she is selling. Buyers like to see pictures and videos of homes. You need an agent who will provide professional pictures and videos of homes as a regular part of his or her service.

5. How do you market homes offline?

While searching for homes online is by far the most popular way to find homes for sale these days, you don’t want to miss out on offline marketing. Hiring a Brooklyn real estate agent who markets your home with a multitude of mediums, which may include house-for-sale flyers, real estate magazines or newspapers, is smart marketing.

6. What are the most common problems that come up when selling a home and how would you handle them?

Hiring a Brooklyn real estate agent who is experienced is important. When they are experienced they will be able to tell you what to expect throughout the entire process. They will talk about the most common problems that may arise and how they can be avoided.

If you’ve decided it’s time to sell your home, then it’s time to be hiring a Brooklyn real estate agent like Charles D’Alesssandro of Fillmore Real Estate. He welcomes the opportunity of working with you to sell your home. Call (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email [email protected] to schedule a time for an interview with Charles today. He knows Brooklyn real estate.