Top 3 Home Selling Myths You Should Ignore

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Thinking of selling your home? You’ve likely heard some common advice floating around, but not all of it is true anymore! The real estate market is constantly changing, and some old-school strategies might actually hurt your chances of a successful sale.

Here are three outdated home selling myths you should ignore:

1. “Wait for Spring to Sell”

Spring is often touted as the best time to sell, but that’s not always the case. With low inventory and historically low interest rates, winter can actually be a great time to list your property. Fewer sellers mean less competition for buyers, which could lead to a faster sale and potentially a higher price.

2. “Set a High Price and Negotiate Down”

This “testing the market” strategy can backfire. An overpriced home sits on the market longer, deterring potential buyers who might wonder what’s wrong with it. It’s better to price your home competitively from the start to attract serious buyers.

3. “Sell Your Home As-Is”

While it was once common to avoid major renovations before selling, today’s buyers expect move-in ready homes. Small updates like fresh paint, new appliances, and minor cosmetic improvements can make a big difference in attracting buyers and commanding a higher price.

So, who should you listen to?

Your Realtor! They are your best resource for up-to-date market knowledge and expert advice on selling your home. They can help you:

  • Price your home correctly
  • Stage your home to show its best features
  • Market your home effectively
  • Negotiate with buyers

If you’re thinking of selling, don’t rely on outdated advice. Contact a Realtor today for expert guidance and a successful sale!

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or legal advice.

I hope this helps!

Factors Influencing Your Home’s Value: The Comps Guide

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You can get the best idea of your home’s current estimated value by knowing how much similar homes sell for. These are called comparable sales, or “comps” in real estate lingo. The trick is finding sales that are as close as possible to yours. Here are four factors that count when it comes to comps:

1. Location: A good comparable sale is a house in your neighborhood. It should be in your subdivision and on the same type of street as your house. It must also be in your school district.  

2. Home Type: Try to find comparable sales like your home. Consider the style, construction material, and square footage. Look at the number of bedrooms and baths. Check if there is a basement, and whether it’s finished. Also, note the finishes and yard size.  

3. Amenities & Upgrades: Is the kitchen new? Does the comparable sale house have full A/C? Is there crown molding, a deck, or a pool? Does your community have the same amenities (pool, walking trails, etc.) and homeowners association fees?  

4. Date of Sale: Most buyers use government-guaranteed mortgages. Those lending programs state that comparable sales can be no older than 90 days.

Don’t Try to Estimate Your Sales Price Alone!

Call your REALTOR® to discuss comps in your area. Also, talk about other factors that should be considered when determining your home’s list price.

Remember: The current location is the United States.

Additional Points to Consider:

  • Market Conditions: The overall state of the real estate market can also affect the value of your home. If there is a high demand for homes in your area, you can sell your home for a higher price. This is more than you would have been able to achieve a few years ago.
  • Staging: Staging your home can also help you get a higher price. Staging involves making your home look as appealing as possible to potential buyers. This can include things like de-cluttering, painting, and adding new furniture.
  • Professional Photos: Hiring a professional photographer to take photos of your home can also help you get a higher price. High-quality photos can make your home look more appealing to potential buyers.

In conclusion, finding good comparable sales is an important step in determining the value of your home. Work with a REALTOR® to find comps most relevant to your property. This will help you get a more precise estimate of its value.

Jacquelyn Stonehocker (706) 251-7315

HEARTLAND REAL ESTATE

REALTOR® Georgia REALTORS®

staircase area

Magnolia Valley Plantation

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What’s up in Magnolia Valley Plantation? This is a small neighborhood off of William Few in Evans GA. It’s zoned for Parkway Elementary School, and Greenbrier Middle and Highschool. There’s a grocery store no more than 15 minutes away in any direction, but Publix is the closest at less than a 5 minute drive. While MVP doesn’t have walking trails, there is a connected neighborhood being developed which will have walking trails, a fishing pond, and a even a dog park!

MVP has a Jr. Olympic pool with a kiddie area, in addition to a playground in the works. Neighbors enjoy getting together during holidays for a trunk or treat, Christmas caroling, Independence day, at Easter Egg hunts. They also have community yard sales several times per year. Neighbors also volunteer for HOA committee needs such as pool and activity planning.

Watch the short video below to get an idea of the real estate values in MVP.

Contact:

Jayson Stonehocker 706.726.088

Jacquelyn Stonehocker 520.891.7291

Moving to the Augusta Georgia Area?

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Augusta is the second biggest city in Georgia behind Atlanta and just 2 and half hours from it. It’s the home of the Augusta National Golf Club and The Master’s, which brings over 200,000 visitors each year! It’s also the home of Fort Gordon, the new location for the National Cyber Security Headquarters.

Our family moved to Augusta Georgia just over 4 years ago, after a unique situation allowed us to choose anywhere in the US to live. We wrote down our priorities and Augusta Georgia met nearly all of them. Excellent family town, job stability, great schools, and incredible cost of living. We were amazed at the size of home we could purchase in our price range, verses where we were already living.

An already strong economy has been made even stronger by an influx of jobs brought in by Cyber Command. Over 10,000 cyber security specialists, plus their families, the trickle down effect adding more demand for restaurants, shopping, and housing. Augusta also houses the states only “public health sciences graduate university”, making it another major employer of over 7,000 people. According to Wikipedia, along with University Hospital, the medical district employs over 25,000 people and has an economic impact of over $1.8 billion.

The schools in the area are fantastic, several incredible magnet schools in Richmond County are rated among the top in the state, and Columbia County schools always score high on the state standards tests.

The CSRA (Central Savannah Rapids Area) is family friendly with plenty of outdoor parks and activities to keep families active in whatever way they enjoy. North Georgia mountains, waterfalls, and the Atlantic Ocean are all just a few hours away. If you get adventurous North and South Carolina and Tennessee all broaden the possibilities. Flights to New York for last minute trips are cheap, and Disney is just a half day drive.

You’re going to love it here!

Have questions? Looking for a group? Give me a call or leave a comment! I’d be glad to help you get acquainted with the area. 706-251-7315

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Augusta and Evans Market Conditions- February 2020

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Augusta Market Conditions-Feb 2020Download
Evans Market Conditions- Feb 2020Download

Click the link above to download current market conditions for Evans and Augusta. Here’s a short summary:

Evans Augusta
Median Value $261 K$136 K
Estimated 12 month change +3.6%+5.1%
% Own 82%53%
% Rent 18%47%
Don’t see the stats your looking for? Send me a message and let me know what you’re your seeking. jacquelyn.stonehocker@kw.com

Augusta and Evans Market Conditions- January 2020

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Augusta Market Conditions-Jan 2020Download
Evans Market Conditions- Jan 2020Download

Click the link above to download current market conditions for Evans and Augusta. Here’s a short summary:

Evans Augusta
Median Value $261 K$136 K
Estimated 12 month change +3.6%+5.1%
% Own 82%53%
% Rent 18%47%
Don’t see the stats your looking for? Send me a message and let me know what you’re your seeking. jacquelyn.stonehocker@kw.com

How to choose the best real estate agent for YOU

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“Not EVERY AGENT is for EVERY CLIENT.”

You’ve probably seen an add on your social media feed for a house and clicked on it to look just for fun. You’ve done a search in the “home search engine that shall not be named” (Hint: It’s probably starts with a Z* or a T*) and had the option to contact an agent. Maybe you were driving by a house and called the number on the sign. Hopefully it was the Agents number instead of the brokerage number.

You probably know that at least 80% of a real estate agents business comes from referrals, and you probably know at least 2 agents. So how do you decide which agent to go with? Here are four tips.

  • Interview a few of the agents you know.
  • Ask your close friends who’ve they’ve worked with.
  • Go with your gut.
  • Be sure to look at your contract paying close attention to the expiration dates, and commission.
  1. Interview a few of the agents you know, and ask them what their process is like. If they are doing their job right they will ask you to sign a representation agreement during the interview. Let them know you still have one agent to interview, what day you’ll be deciding, and expect a follow up call. Don’t make any decisions before you’ve asked around about that agent.
  2. Ask your close friends who’ve they’ve worked with and what that was like. When I was a massage therapist I had the saying “Not every therapist is fore every BODY”. It’s the same with real estate. Not every agent is for every client. Here are some questions to ask.
    • Did the agent push for a great price? You want a negotiator in your corner!
    • Were they quick to return messages and generally available? Agents can’t always answer the call right away, but if they return your messages within 12-18 hours they’re doing a pretty good job. Unless they’ve warned you ahead of time, or have a family emergency it shouldn’t take more than 24 hours to return messages.
    • Were they respectful of their clients time? I once heard about an agent that that was calling and pushing for closing paperwork to get signed, while a loved one was literally breathing their last breaths. Yes, the agent knew this was happening. You want someone who will get the job done, but also know when to back up a little bit.
    • Did they maintain the clients privacy? You want an agent whose going to keep the private details of why your moving and what your earning just that… private. In fact it is the agents fiduciary duty to do so, and anything different can result in disciplinary action.
    • How busy are they? If your agent is closing more than 35 homes a year, they probably need an assistant, and if they have one then you’ve probably found a pretty great realtor. There are a lot of details to manage in the home buying process. While 35 homes a year only averages out to about three homes a month, it’s more work than it sounds like, and comes with some sacrifices if not managed well. Remember, homes take an average of 30 to 60 days to close, so the agent might be working 4-6 closings at one time, and showing homes for several more. If they don’t have an assistant you may want to choose an another agent with an assistant, or one closing around 2 homes a month on average.
    • Did the client feel like a number, or an important client? You want an agent that’s going to get to know you, get to know your needs, and get to know your plans for the future. The last thing you want is an agent that’s pushing numbers, rather than taking care of individuals and families.
  3. Go with your gut. While one agent may be mentioned several times in your conversations with friends, your gut might not feel right about that person after your interviews. Go with the person that feels right, not just the one that looks right on paper. Some times it comes down to chemistry. You’ll be talking to and working with this person A LOT over the next few months and you want to be sure you will mesh well.
  4. Be sure to look at your contract paying close attention to the expiration dates, and commission percentages. When selling a home, the commission is negotiable to a certain extent. Price fixing is illegal and while a majority of brokerages have a set commission fee, you are welcome to shop around. Watch for unusually high, or unusually low commissions. Keep in mind that a lower commission fee may not necessarily be better, and I’ll talk about why in another blog post.

Ready to start looking for a home? Try searching here

Note: Home search engines like the ones mentioned at the beginning of this post, benefit from the work of real-estate agents listings, then charges agents huge amount of money to buy your lead back.