Click to go Home!

see all news...




current newsletter

 
Selling

What's My Home Worth?

Maintaining Your Home

Is Now the Time to Sell?

Lowering Your Capital Gains Tax Obligations

Inexpensive Ways to Make a Great First Impression

Setting Your Price

Earning My Fee

Our Current Buyers

Seller's Guide

FSBO First Aid Kit

Recent Local Home Sales

Real Estate Calculators

Stop the Rumors About Mold

Move-in Checklist

Testimonials



Selling? What You Should Know About Setting Your Price

If you're selling your house, one of the first steps you'll take is setting an asking price, a maneuver that requires the ability to find the perfect balance between attracting solid offers and ultimately receiving top dollar.

If you're working with a Realtor or other industry professional, you'll probably hear talk of fair market value, which typically means the highest value an educated buyer will pay. Fair market value is usually not the asking price.

Many agents will begin by conducting a competitive market analysis of your house and give you an estimate of the fair market value of your home, which is a range that will fluctuate depending on the housing market in your area and how much similar homes in your neighborhood are selling for.

If you're in a hot seller's market, like many communities throughout California and much of the West, you'll have the advantage.

"The market has been gaining steam, and the seller is taking control," said Nashat Benyamein, a broker in Long Beach, Calif. "Our average number of days on the market went from 30 days to 7 days or less."

While overpricing to some degree can be beneficial, you'll still want to be careful and avoid pricing your home too high, which almost always is nonproductive.

As you work with your agent and set your price, you'll want to recognize the factors that may prompt you to raise your asking price too much when it isn't warranted. Some of those factors include:
  1. Upgrades have been added. While many home improvements will help you recoup a good chunk of your investment, it won't give you 100 percent of what you paid. Also, the more personal the improvement - a swimming pool, a sunroom, purple floors - the less likely it will be viewed favorably by potential buyers.

  2. The need for money.

  3. You're moving to a higher-priced area.

  4. The original purchase price was too high.

  5. The seller lacks factual comparable sales to prove what the market value is.

  6. The seller wants bargaining room (listing more than 1-3 percent above market value actually reduces bargaining power).

  7. An unnecessary move, so you're not motivated. On the other hand, if you're in a neutral or buyer's market, like in Minneapolis, you'll really need to be cautious in setting your price.
"While a few select neighborhoods are experiencing good activity, the market generally is favoring buyers," said Mary Jo Oren, a Realtor in Minneapolis, Minn. "Price reductions are becoming more common and sellers are having a tough time adjusting to fewer offers, fewer multiple offers and increased market time to sell. Buyers are less emotional and not afraid to offer significantly less than list price plus ask for additional seller participation."

Generally, the asking price - the price advertised when it goes on the market - is set slightly higher than market value, usually 1 to 3 percent above market value.

You should assume that negotiation will be necessary to reach an agreement with the buyer. If you price your home too much above market value, you'll get fewer showings and offers in which the potential buyer is fishing to determine how low you'll go.

You'll want to establish your priority list: Are you more concerned with selling quickly or getting the most money possible? You'll also want to contemplate whether you think the agent's suggested price is reasonable and whether you'd pay that amount if you were a buyer.

Your agent, as well as friends, relatives, and neighbors, will help you point out your house's advantages and disadvantages that you may not have thought about because you're too close to the house and not as objective as others.

A third party will help you think of your house as a commodity - something with positive and negative selling points. At that point you can decide on a price that you deem competitive and in line what other houses in your area have sold for.

Written by Michele Dawson
August 19, 2002

Feel free to contact me if I can be of any service!

* 
* 
* 
State
Comments
 Newsletter sign up?
 
Site Search:
Copyright © 2004 WestCoastHome.com | Resources | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | AdminMap   Site by RealtyTech Inc.


















Find A Home In Las Vegas and Southern California, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Riverside, Ventura and surrounding areas!

Featured Homes In Las Vegas and Southern California, including Burbank, Santa Monica, San Bernadino and the San Fernando Valley!

Selling Los Angeles Real Estate, San Diego Real Estate, and Las Vegas Real Estate
What's My Home Worth?
Is It Time to Sell?
Lowering Your Capital Gains Tax Obligations
Inexpensive Ways to Make a Great First Impression
Setting Your Price
Our Current Buyers
Seller's Guide
Recent Local Home Sales
Testimonials

Buying Ventura Real Estate, Orange County Real Estate, and La Jolla Real Estate
How Much Can I Afford?
My Dream Home...
Buyer's Guide
Finding The Perfect Neighborhood

Relocating
Boomburbs" Define New Growth Patterns
Avoid The Sticker Shock Of Relocating

Financing your new home
How to Finance Unique Properties
Applying for a Loan? Start by Ordering Your Credit Report
Loan Application

Real Estate Financial Calculators
Refinance Calculator
Fixed Rate Loan Payments
Adjustable Rate Loan Payment Calculator
Balloon Loan Payments
Rent vs. Buy Calculator
Loan Comparison
Extra Payment Calculator
Mortgage Qualification Calculator
Home Affordability Calculator
Loan Calculator

About West Coast Home
Contact West Coast Home

Real Estate News

Privacy Policy for the Real Estate Website, WestCoastHome.com
Terms of Use for the Real Estate Website, WestCoastHome.com

WestCoastHome.com specializes in assisting buyers and sellers with all types of residential real estate, commercial real estate, and industrial real estate. Whenever buying or selling, WestCoastHome can assist in your transaction for a home, house, condo, townhome, townhouse, luxury estate, beach property, ocean side property, beach front real estate, mansion, vacation house, ranch, land, farm, castle, foreclosure, foreclose, reo, corporate relocation, apartment building, office, office building, retail center, shopping center, income property, residential income, 1031, 1031 exchange, triple net, leased, and property investments. Search multiple listing services: mls, property listing service, list your property, listing service, property posting, real estate listings, Automated Home finder, Socal mls, real estate mls, real estate listing service, real estate posting, mls, multiple listing service, fsbo, for sale by owner, sale by owner, cma, comparative market analysis, comparable market analysis, comps, comp, recent sale, customized listing campaign, customized marketing. Simplify the relocation process. Ask for a free consultation for free advice, when you are planning to relocate and home values. If you are a seller, you will be provided with a customized marketing and advertising listing campaign report complete with sales comps, free home valuation, and mls inventory evaluation. Besides info on real estate matters, internet mortgages, trust deeds, loans, school reports, home improvement, tax tips, and city, county, and state demographic information, property reports, Home buyers guides, Home Sellers guides and real estate investing, we can help with property management. Sellers can find their home value at http://www.WestCoastHome.com.  If you are a buyer or a seller, when you decide to buy or sell, choose an expert agent who knows the way to sell your home fast with the latest in technology. Depend on WestCoastHome.com  to help you in the So Cal neighborhoods of Orange county, Los Angeles county, Riverside county, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County. Las Vegas Nevada and San Bernardino county, the Inland Empire. WestCoastHome's web site features properties in the following cities, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Corona Del Mar, Laguna Beach real estate, Costa Mesa homes, Irvine real estate, Tustin homes, Santa Ana real estate, Huntington Beach condo, Fountain Valley, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, El Toro, Aliso Viejo, Foothill Ranch, Dana Point, San Clemente, Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Juan Capistrano, Orange, Fullerton, Villa Park, Yorba Linda, Placentia, Westminister, Garden Grove, Anaheim, Anaheim Hills, Corona, Norco, La Habra, La Palma, Hawaiian Garden, Cypress, Los Alamitos, Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills Post Office, Bel Air, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, LA, West Los Angeles, West LA, Westwood, Century City, Brentwood, Rancho Park, Beverlywood, West Hollywood real estate, Hollywood Hills real estate, Culver City, Westchester, Encino, Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Pacoima, Toluca Lake, Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks, Granada Hills, Topanga Canyon, San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, Glendale, Oak Park real estate, Burbank, Eagle Rock, Pasadena, San Marino, South Pasadena, Sierra Madre, San Gabriel, El Monte, South El Monte, Monterey Park, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Glendora, Bradbury, Duarte, San Dimas, Diamond Bar, Temple City, Rosemead, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Monrovia, Covina, West Covina, Irwindale, Pomona, Pico Rivera, La Mirada, La Habra, La Palma, Norwalk, Hacienda Weights, Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Valencia real estate,  Inglewood, Lawndale, Artesia, Hawthorne, El Segundo, City of Industry, Commerce, Ontario, Norco, Corona, Guasti, and Rancho Cucamonga. You can also see ocean view, bay front properties in the beach communities of Balboa Island, Lido Island, Lido Isle, Linda Island, Linda Isle, Harbor Island, Newport Beach Peninsula, South Laguna, Emerald Bay, Sunset Beach, Surfside, Three Arch Bay, Monarch Beach, Capistrano Beach, Marina Del Rey, Playa Del Rey, Long Beach, Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach real estate, Belmont Shores, San Pedro, Palos Verdes, Venice, Pacific Palisades, Malibu.