How's the Real Estate Market in Seminole County?

If you're wondering how the Seminole County market is, this should give you a good idea! Click on the link below to get a more thorough picture.

Single Family Homes for sale has steadily been on the rise since October of last year. In fact, from July 2009 to July 2010, there were almost 15% more homes for sale. The number of homes closed from June to July of this year dropped 25%! Can anyone say "Home-buyer Tax Credit"? June 30th was the deadline. This would also explain the spike in homes going pending in May. It should be steady from here forward.

In July, the days on market for your single family home is the lowest it's been in 15 months at 88 days. The average listed single family home is $312,000 and sells at $213,000.

Click on the link below to get a more thorough picture!

http://www.trendgraphix.com/FactsAndTrends/Member/FtReport.aspx

Selling Your Own Home--Smart Move Number 5: Stage, Stage, Stage!

How to stage your home well and inexpensively.

Many of the things you will want to stage your home with will come from items you currently posess. The others can be easily obtained from retail stores such as Target and Wal-Mart.

When potential buyers visit, they want to be able to see themselves living in your home. Now "what does each individual buyer want to see?". You don't know and I don't know either. The best thing to do is THINK NEUTRAL.

Most will want to see a place to sit. Most will want to see a place to dine. Most will want to see some type of decor including plants in vases, picture frames or art, neutral rugs on the floor, neutral paint color, and neutral window treatment.

How do you achieve this? Again, if these things are already in your home, the key might be to remove anything that screams individuality or clutter. If you are showing a vacant home, I'm assuming you are living somewhere else, so feel free to bring some big items over to the vacant home. These might include 1 sofa for the living/family room, 1 dining table with 2 chairs, 1 coffee table, 1 bed for the bedroom and 1 armoire or dresser with a mirror for the same bedroom. If you can spare, bring over a 2 plants and vases, a standing plant, hand towels for the bathroom, a few picture frames and wall art, a towel and oven mit for the kitchen and a couple of candles.

Keep in mind, if you have to buy any of these items, when the buyer falls in love with a piece of furniture or the drapes, you can work these items into negotiations!

It's a win win! Happy Selling!

Selling Your Own Home-Smart Move Number 6: Remove Odors

If you're selling your own home, here are 3 ways to remove all odors!

The first thing you may be thinking is: "I don't smell anything". You live in your home so you probably won't. It's a little uncomfortable to think about but our clothes, carpet, couches, kitchens and bathrooms have a distinct smell that is all our own. When others come in your home, they smell what we don't!

Here are 3 things you should do:

1. Invest in an Ionizing Air Purifier or Ozone Generator. These little babies work wonders. Along with dangerous mold spurs, bacteria, and viruses being removed from the air, odors will be removed as well.

2. Use a Steam Extractor to clean your upholstered furniture and carpet. Either rent one or call in the professionals for a more powerful cleaning or for those deeply imbedded odors.

3. Use a combination of vinegar, lemons, warm water, bleach, baking soda and Tri-sodium phosphate to wash all walls, doors, ceilings, floors, refrigerator inside and out, stove inside and out, and drawers. Use them to launder clothes, drapes, and linen.

If these things are done, you won't be masking odors when you, then, put out your potpourri, vanilla oil, and hidden baking soda boxes...you'll be complimenting an already fresh home!

Happy Selling!

How's The Orlando Real Estate Market?

To answer the infamous Cocktail Party question...



From June to July, the number of homes listed increased just a little, while the number of homes sold (closed) decreased significantly. The good news is that for the last couple of months, homes going pending has been increasing quite a bit, which means sold homes over the next couple of months should follow suit.



For the last year or so, homes in Orange County have been on the market for an average of 83 days before going to contract. For the last 6 months, that has actually been decreasing (Good news for you looking to sell your home!). More good news for sellers is that they're receiving approximately 95% of what they're asking for their homes!



You can find this info by simply clicking the link below. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.



http://coldwellbanker.net/marketTrend/fla/orange.html

Selling Your Own Home-Smart Move Number 7: Keep it Clean and Clutter-free

To Sell Your Own Home, you must keep it Clean and Clutter-Free

Here's another Tip for all of you wanting to sell your own home. Some Realtors who show homes often might argue that this should actually be number 1 or 2. It is that important and at the same time is most often forgotten by homesellers.

Please do this:

Physically walk out of your home and take in some fresh air. Also, count to ten outside, and as you count, mentally become a buyer who

1. doesn't know you
2. who doesn't know your hobbies or about the work you do from home, or that you have kids
3. who, quite frankly, doesn't care about your hobbies or about the work you do from home, or that you have kids
4. who has a keen sense of smell
5. who is easily distracted by clutter
6. who is ultimately looking for a home-like feel where they can see themselves living in your home for years to come!

Now, come back in your home this different person. If you have truly become a stranger to your home mentally, you should notice things you didn't before.

Here's a list of things you may forget about when preparing to show your home:

Spider webs, anywhere
Soap scum in bathrooms
Ring around toilet in the inside: As a matter of fact, close the lid
Toys on floor
Paper and office supplies scattered on desks
Mail on kitchen table
Stains on carpet and furniture
Dirty dishes
Dirty refrigerator
Dirty oven
Dirty walls
Paper in yard
Bugs, anywhere!

Some home-buyers can look past these things as the walk-through. However, most won't. I hope this helps and Happy Selling!

What an Estate Sale this was!

When did Estate Sales become such a production?!

In an attempt to increase my home knowledge a little more by viewing the inside of, yet, another home, I ended up at an estate sale last weekend that was unbelievable! A 'Mike Tudor Estate Sales' estate sale to be exact. If you are buying a new home and are looking for awesome deals on finer furniture, art, decor, apparel, and other artifacts, you might want to check these out. The website even provides pictures of these items before the date. Likewise, if you're selling a home and have lots of stuff to get rid of, you might benefit from someone else coordinating the sale.

It was held in a nice Orlando neighborhood that is definitely considered desireable among those who know Orlando Real Estate. Firstly, when I pulled up, there were cones lining the entire street to control the traffic. I couldn't bring a purse or bag into the sale. I'm going to assume the home has been vacated by the owners because the items were from Boca Raton, FL. One of the workers told me that the HOA in Boca where the seller lives won't allow for this type of sale. Sounds like a lot of work for the coordinator to transport these items 200 miles, but here's why I'm thinking it was worth it...

*High traffic
*Art the size of a small billboard sign
*Necklace for $500+
*Jade statue (3" tall) for $100+
*Furnishings that wouldn't be out of place in a palace
*Other tiny what-nots for $200+ each
*Several living room sets
*Several bedroom sets
*Several dining room sets
*Fine linen

This wasn't your average garage/yard/moving/tag/estate sale!

There are 10 coming up this weekend and I think I'm going to stop by again. This time, I'd like to see the home AND the offerings. Here are the details:

Thursday, August 5

8763 Palm Lake Dr. Orlando
2030 Hibiscus Dr. Edgewater

Friday, August 6

1340 Woodlake Cir. St. Cloud
1807 N. Park Ave. Winter Park (Hey this is near my office!)
Ormond Beach
3820 E. Kaley Ave. Orlando
1104 Cardinal Creek Pl. Oviedo
244 O'Brien Rd. Altamonte Springs
16 Westbury Ln. Palm Coast

Saturday August 7

2459 Fawn Run Oviedo

I got this information from www.estatesales.net.

How's the Orlando Real Estate Market Now?

"How is the real estate market doing?" This is the most popular question asked when I'm out and about and the public notices my Coldwell Banker name badge. Following this is "How's business?".

I'm going to address the former in this posting and will continue to do so each week. The latter? Well, let's just say one can do as well as they would like with hard work coupled with creative thinking...whether the market is up or down.

Let's take a look at the graph below, shall we?



For Orange County, as you can see, the number of homes that have been marketed for sale on the MLS has decreased by almost 16%. However, interestingly, the number of homes sold has increased by over 28%! Further, 12 months ago in June 2009, only 13.2% of the listed homes sold while a whopping 20% of the homes listed in June 2010 are selling. Not too shabby, huh?!

If you would like a free report similar to this sent to you monthly, please e-mail me with your county or even zip code.

Selling Your Own Home-Smart Move Number 8: Comparables and Pricing

10 Smart Moves when Selling Your Own Home

Find Comparables so that you can price your home well.

This is a cinch for Realtors who have access to the Multiple Listing Service. But what about you? How do you know where to even begin to get this information?

Here are 3 ways:

1. A Realtor might actually provide this for you with no hassles! Call up a realtor you know, tell them what your plans are and ask them to tell you about 3 homes in your area that sold within the last 6 months (3 months if homes are turning over often in your area).

2. In the last year, do you recall any homes for sale in your area? Did they sell? There you are! Go on your county's Property Appraiser website, put in the address, and find out what is sold for.

3. Call on several homes that are active right now. Get all the specifics such as the number of bedrooms, baths, square footage, year built, pool, 2-car garage, etc. Find three that most closely compare to yours and subtract from the home's price when it has a feature yours does not and add to that home's price when yours has a feature that that home does not. Use caution. If that home is over-priced, which you may not know, yours will likewise be over-priced.

Happy Selling!

Selling Your Own Home-Smart Move Number 9: Speak to a Real Estate Professional

10 Smart Moves to Sell Your Own Home





Number 10 on the 10 Smart Move to Sell Your Own Home list was to Qualify your Home Buyer. The next Smart Move would be to consult a Real Estate Professional. As an Orlando Realtor and Coldwell Realtor, and having spoken with sellers of homes for sale by owner, I will give you many reasons why this move is crucial.

• A Real Estate Professional has quite a bit of experience with homes selling. In other words, they can tell you what homes have sold in your area, for how much they sold for, how long it took them to sell, how difficult of a process it may have been to get it to the closing table, and why a home may not have sold. They can tell you what your home is worth based on this data.

• One very important aspect of the home-selling or -buying process that many owners of for sale by owner homes don't think about, is the fact that Realtors are privvy to feedback from buyers they've shown homes to. This feedback, including wall color, odors, clutter, etc., isn't as freely given to owners as it is to Realtors, because we are often seen as neutral parties. Here in Orlando, I've seen first-hand how a buyer is distracted by cosmetic nuances that can EASILY be taken care of if the owner new about it. Any orlando realtor would tell you that pools are a must-have at a certain price point. If you don't know this or don't consider this when positioning your home for sale, you may be caught off guard by the balking.

• Talk to a professional and allow them to walk through your home with the mindset of a potential buyer. They shouldn't have a problem doing this and giving you honest suggestions.

• Before making the decision to sell your own home, make sure a realtor isn't the better choice. Try not to base your decision only on saving money. A realtor will ask for compensation for the time and efforts to get your home sold. The range may be anywhere from 2% - 8% of the sold price. This is quite significant. However, consider the following before your final decision:

1. How will you market your home? Realtors typically market homes on several websites (Coldwell realtors market properties on over 350!), in the Multiple Listing Service, to their sphere of influence, to the many people they've met over the years who are in their database, and to new contacts they meet on a daily basis. Speak with a realtor to find out how they would position your home to sell to see if it is worth it to you.



2. How will home buyers perceive the price? Home buyers buy directly from owners because they are seeking a deal. They are keenly aware of a for sale by owner's savings.



3. Will you net more selling your own home? If you have a healthy grasp on how value is determined, and how it differs from price, it may be better to go ahead and sell your own home. Value isn't determined by the what you have paid, what you owe, what you need, or what you've spent. It's determined by what others will pay. Studies have shown that professionals sell for 16% - 28% more than sellers of for sale by owners. Remember, car dealers sell cars for more than the owners themselves. Find out where a realtor would price your home, then price it accordingly.



4. How will home buyers perceive the process? Unfortunately, some buyers see for sale by owner sales as an opportunity to receive a discount, simply because they don't expect to get the same service, warranty, and security as they would if the home was represented by a licensed individual and licensed company. Home buyers see the process as being a little riskier. One of my buyers compared it to an Ipod sold on craigslist by the purchaser and one sold by Best Buy. Speak with a realtor about the service and warranties they can offer, their education, if they used pre-approved forms and contracts, and whether their broker mandates E & O insurance. You can also speak with one about how to offer great service even after you have decided to sell your own home.



5. How much time do you have? It takes many weekly hours to get a home sold. From taking care of signage, showings, communication with buyers, following-up, marketing your home, etc. Ask a realtor how much time will be taken out of your week if they were to list your home, and compare that to the same if you were to sell your own home. This will help you make an informed decision as well.

Selling your own home can be a trying experience but rewarding as well. Speaking with a knowledgeable realtor will increase the opportunity of the latter.




Stay tuned for an expansion of Number 8 on the list of 10 Smart Moves to Sell Your Own Home.

Contact Nemi Weeks, MBA

Find Orlando Real Estate

Find Florida Real Estate

Selling Your Own Home-Smart Move Number 10: Qualify Home Buyer

Learning how to sell your home may take more effort than you think initially. However, once you get through these 10 Smart Moves, you'll feel more confident about your decisions and more comfortable with the process.





One of the obstacles many run into when selling their own home is remembering to qualify home buyer. I'm speaking of two qualifying aspects here.





*One is to make sure they are Ready, Willing, and Able to buy. You would want to ensure they've already gone through the pre-approval process BEFORE you entertain an offer.





*Another is to make sure it is safe to invite the potential buyer into your home. Please ensure you are not dealing with an individual who is looking for an easy way to do harm to either you or your pocket.





How can you minimize the risk?





During the first conversation, ask them if they've been pre-approved for a loan and through which lender. Ask them how long they've been looking for a home and when must they be in their home of choice. Lastly, demand that the pre-approval letter from their lender be submitted with their offer.





Ask for certain information to be faxed, e-mailed, or mailed to you upfront. For instance, have them fax their pre-approval letter to you before they come to see your home. In most cases, Realtors ask for this information before showing their buyers properties. They willingly give it when they are serious home-buyers with no ill-intentions.





Finally, please make sure another individual is at your residence when the potential home-buyer is expected to arrive. If you are at all suspicious of the individual at your door, don't open it!





Contact Nemi Weeks Orlando Real Estate

10 Smart Moves to Sell Your Own Home

The following list is based on conversation with very experienced Realtors who know what it takes to sell your own home, who swear by these recommendations. Feel free to let me know what you might add to this list.

10. Pre-screen ALL potential buyers

9. Get input from a Real Estate Professional who will be honest about how to sell your own home

8. Find comparable sales and price your home well

7. Keep it clean and clutter-free

6. Remove odors

5. Stage, stage, stage

4. Make cosmetic touch-ups

3. Be available

2. Remove yourself

1. Make sure the Sales and Purchase Agreement is filled out accurately

If you use this as a checklist, you will be able to sell your own home at warp speed. I'll be expanding on each of these over the next several days. If you're selling on your own, consider these suggestions.

Contact Nemi Weeks, MBA Find Orlando Real Estate Find Florida Real Estate

Inroduction to YOUR Personal Orlando Realtor

If you live in Central Florida or are looking for Orlando real estate, I think you'll find my blog VERY useful! In a nutshell, you'll find questions answered. My plan is to start putting ALL of the questions I receive on a daily basis into a blog format for your benefit, so subscribe to stay updated.

Hi, I am Your personal Orlando Realtor. I have been enthusiastically providing quality customer service for over 15 years; whether as a Pharmacy Technician or as a Nursing Home Administrator. My unwavering passion for improving the lives of others, coupled with being a member of a family who has been involved in real estate for decades, led me to become a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate. It's just always been apart of me.

A rare Florida native, I proudly graduated from the University of Central Florida (Go Knights!) with a B.S. and from the University of South Florida (Go Bulls!) with an MBA. I currently love and reside in the Central Florida area with my husband and son.

I look forward to being YOUR personal Realtor!



My Services and Areas of Expertise Include:


I am a trained Full Time Residential Real Estate Professional with expert skills at marketing, presentation, negotiation and sales. I will work with you to ensure that your property is sold for the highest price possible in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of inconvenience to you utilizing:

•Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards
•Local Newspaper Advertising--prime classified positioning
•National Brand Advertising and Promotions
•Widespread exposure on multiple Social Networking sites
Coldwell Banker Previews International for luxury properties, with global exposure on coldwellbankerpreviews.com



Mission


To develop healthy relationships while servicing the Real Estate needs of every individual I meet.




eMarketing Advantage


Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate is part of the largest full-service residential real estate brokerage in the U.S. and on the Internet . We have the relationships and the resources necessary to provide unprecedented global exposure for your property. As a Realtor, I am a member of many Social Networks such as Facebook, Linked-In and Twitter. If you know 10% of what there is to know about marketing, you know that this exposure is conducive to speedy closings. To get homes sold, I will get your home listed on 350 websites including these major ones! That's E-X-P-O-S-U-R-E!

www.floridamoves.com – is the site to Florida’s leading real estate company.
www.coldwellbanker.com – is our award-winning, national brand website.
www.realtor.com – is the most-visited real estate website on the Internet.

www.google.com – is the world’s leading search engine.

www.trulia.com – is one of the fastest growing real estate websites.

www.nytimes.com – reaches over 25 million viewers monthly.





Affiliations


•Member, National Association of Realtors
•Member, Florida Association of Realtors
•Member, Orlando Regional Realtors Association
•Member, Central Florida Realty Investors Association
•Member, Investors Resource Center




Community


As a real estate professional, I understand the true value of our community. I proudly support our local charitable organizations through my participation in Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate CARES. Since 2001, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate CARES has donated over $1.5 million to a wide array of non-profit educational, health, welfare, environmental and cultural arts organizations. Since 2003, we’ve sponsored 12 Habitat for Humanity homes statewide, with several more in progress. This initiative continues to position Coldwell Banker as a leader in support of this truly worthwhile organization.

Click here to ask me about anything Orlando Real Estate.

About the Author: Nemi can be reached by e-mail at nemi.weeks@floridamoves.com or by visiting her website at www.floridamoves.com/nemi.weeks. She sends out Market Snapshot Reports that her clients rave about. If you would like to be included in this mail out, ask for it here!