Leave a comment April 17, 2025 buygadirt

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Here are three outdated home selling myths you should ignore: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If you’re thinking of selling, don’t rely on outdated advice.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

Leave a comment March 20, 2025 buygadirt

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®

Magnolia Valley Plantation

Leave a comment October 18, 2021 Stonehocker Group

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?

Leave a comment March 27, 2020 Stonehocker Group

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!