Back to the basics

Posted by Dan Miller, REALTOR on Wednesday, October 19th, 2022 at 3:41am.

Earlier this spring we were asked to help a family sell their home under some very challenging circumstances. The owner had recently passed away, and her 22-year-old son who was in charge of the estate was overwhelmed by the responsibilities that were before him.

So needless to say we were more than happy to help our client clean the house, clean up the yard, and address a few much-needed repairs. But the house was still in rough shape. It was filled with the smell of cigarettes, and all of the carpet needed to be replaced. Even so, getting the house to this less-than-perfect state was a big accomplishment given our client's circumstances.

Helping Sellers in a Time of Need

How it all played out

When we launched the listing, it was the height of the spring selling season. Back when there were less than 300 homes available in the whole county, and back when mortgage rates were less than 5 percent. It was also a season when many buyers were behaving irrationally. And some, even desperately.

And so the buyers lined up to tour the home. Our client received several offers. And fortunately for our client we were able to negotiate a clean offer for more than $10,000 above the list. 

A new season for real estate

Fast-forward to this fall and the truth is we would be hard-pressed to produce these same results. Because buyers this fall have evolved from irrational and desperate to selective and discerning. Today's buyers are still willing to pay a premium, but not for the home that requires a significant amount of work.

All of this is to say that it's time for sellers and realtors to get back to the basics of real estate. The basics of repairs and maintenance. The basics of cosmetics and staging. The basics of photos and marketing. And the fundamentals of pricing and negotiation. Many of these fundamentals seemingly disappeared from our field over the last 3 years, but the reality right now is that they truly matter once again.

The good news for you

If selling your home is in your future, the good news for you is that we've been applying the fundamentals all along. We haven't wavered from our approach, so we're well-prepared to help you experience a successful sale, just by working on our craft and by embracing the fundamentals each day. 

We would love to be a resource for you and help you plan for your future. Contact your Mad City Dream Homes realtor to get started. 

This article is published courtesy of:
Dan Miller, REALTOR
Mad City Dream Homes & RE/MAX Preferred
1619 Monroe Street #1, Madison, WI, 53711

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