3 Reasons Why You Can’t Trust a Zestimate

Can you trust Zillow’s Zestimates to come up with the correct value for your home? Unfortunately, the answer is no, and there are three reasons why.

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A lot of people ask whether the home value they find on Zillow, also known as a Zestimate, is accurate. Can you really trust that Zestimate? Zestimates work almost the same way as a tax assessment: Zillow’s algorithm takes the sale prices of homes that are similar to yours and in the same area, then it compares that information to your property’s square footage in order to come up with an estimate on the value of your property. Unfortunately, the reality is that, although they can be accurate sometimes, Zestimates are often incorrect. On average, the Zestimate has a margin of error of about 20%.

Zestimates have a 20% margin of error.

 

There are three factors that impact the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of your Zestimate: 

1. Your property’s location. If you live in a cookie-cutter subdivision that has a lot of like-kind houses and a high number of recent sales, then it’s highly likely that your Zestimate will be more reflective of the accurate value of your home. However, if your property is in a very unique area or if you have a rural property with a lot of unique features, then it’s less likely that the Zestimate will be accurate. 

2. Your property’s condition. If you made a lot of recent updates, the homes around you are not similar, or if your home has unique features such as a finished basement, a Zestimate will probably not factor those features into its calculation. 

3. Your property’s location in relation to recent sales. For example, you may live in that cookie-cutter subdivision, but if you live on the edge, then the algorithm will take properties outside of the subdivision into consideration when calculating your Zestimate. Those properties might just be a block away but if they are completely different than yours, that will definitely throw off your Zestimate. If you live in a subdivision where all the homes are bigger than yours or sit on a larger lot, then your Zestimate will also be incorrect.

Your Zestimate really depends on those three factors in your local real estate market. 

If you would like a more customized and accurate home value estimate, give us a call. This spring, we are offering a free, no obligation, maximum home valuation. Our representatives will go through your home, give you a detailed estimate of value, and provide a list of suggestions that you can use to maximize your home’s value. In other words, we will give you a list of things that will get you a good return on investment and increase your overall sales price. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would be happy to help you!

5 Sale-Killing Mistakes to Avoid in Your Listing Photos

Listing photos are an important part of the home selling process. However, there are five sale-killing mistakes you need to avoid when taking listing photos.

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When you sell your home, the listings photos are an incredibly important part of getting prospective buyers into it. However, there are five sale-killing mistakes that you need to avoid when you take your listing photos: 1. No more corners. For some reason, sellers love to take pictures of the corners of different rooms in their home. Nothing is gained from buyers looking at the corners of a room; instead, photograph focal points in each room. 2. The grass is always greener. Photos of nature surrounding your home make sense if you are focusing on some kind of flora or fauna. However, a close-up on the bark of your tree or a patch in your lawn does not make sense. Take a broad picture of your home with nature behind it or highlight some specific aspect of your landscaping. 3. On the outside looking in. Don’t just take exterior photos of your home. If you do, the buyer will wonder what is wrong with the home. Make sure there are plenty of high definition photos of the interior of your home.

There aren’t many people who want to buy a haunted house.

 

4. A haunted look doesn’t help. If your photos make your home look menacing, make sure you redo them. Dark, grainy photos with unclear shadows can make your home look haunted. Pictures that you take on your phone won’t make the cut, either. Make sure you have quality, professional photos. 

5. Let the sunshine in. It is a scientific fact that bright, well-lit homes sell faster and for more money. Give the public what they want and make sure your home is as bright as possible. 

If you have any other questions about listing photos or the home selling process in general, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

How Holiday Decor Can Amp Up Your Curb Appeal

Whether you're selling your home or just want it to look great, you can use holiday decor to seriously boost your curb appeal. I have four ways to share with you today.

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Certain holiday decor can really amp us your home's curb appeal. Today, I wanted to give you a list of the top four ways to utilize it:

1. Highlight your home's architecture. Consider edging your home's roof, windows, or trim with holiday decorations to take advantage of and highlight your home's architecture.

2. Landscaping. Net lights make decorating with your landscape so easy that your kids can do it. Lay them over your hedges and take advantage of all the landscaping aspects that your home offers.

Don't forget about your front door.

 

4. Spread the love. Gates, walkways, fences, and your entryway are great opportunities to extend your decor to your entire front yard.

5. Don't forget about your front door. This can be as easy as adding a wreath. Whether you go with store bought or homemade, the opportunities are endless.

These four tips will really help you boost that curb appeal, whether you're selling or not. 

I hope you enjoyed this topic and all the topics we discuss in our videos. If you have any feedback for us or topics you'd like to learn more about, reach out to us anytime via phone or email. We look forward to hearing from you.

7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Agent

When hiring an agent to sell your home, make sure to ask them these seven questions in order to pick the best one for the job.

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If you are planning on selling your home, how can you make sure that you select the best agent for the job? We have seven questions that you should ask when interviewing agents in order to hire the best one.

1. How long have you been selling homes? You wouldn’t want to go to a doctor who’s just one year out of medical school. It’s helpful to have an agent that’s been in the business a while and has some experience under their belt.

2. How many homes did you sell last year? A lot of agents like to tout the success of their company. Ask them how they have done year to year. Ask them to bring that data along to the interview. Again, it’s helpful to work with an agent who has a lot of experience. You could have a long-time veteran agent who has been in the industry for 20 years but only sells two homes a year, or you could have an agent who’s been working for four years but sells 30 to 40 homes a year. The second agent would have more experience.

Not all real estate agents are Realtors.

 

3. How are you going to market my home? It’s important to have a detailed marketing plan that is written down. 

4. Will you represent me exclusively? In Pennsylvania, an agent can represent you the seller, or the buyer, or both. If an agent is going to do dual agency, make sure that you understand it and consent to it. 

5. How will you keep me informed? We find that communication is one of the most important things to our sellers and clients. Ask them what their communication plan is and how often they intend to talk to you. 

6. Can you provide references? Ask for three or more references and ask for contact information. Make sure that you follow up with them so you can see what their experience was working with this agent. 

7. Are you a Realtor? Not all real estate agents are Realtors. If your agent is a Realtor, that means they are a member of the National Association of Realtors, which has been a champion for professionalism and ethics in real estate for over a century. 

Those seven questions will help you pick the best agent for the job. If you have any other questions about hiring an agent or selling your home, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

3 Reasons Why Fall Is a Great Time to Sell Your Home

Contrary to popular belief, the fall is actually a great time to sell a home. You may not see as many buyers as you would in the spring and summer, but you can be sure that fall buyers are more serious.

We all know that a lot of people in the South Central Pennsylvania area list their homes on the market in early spring with a lot of those homes going under contract in early summer. But what about fall? How good is the fall selling season going to be? Each year is different, but I think that there’s something special about the fall season this year. Here are three things to keep in mind:

1. The bulk of spring listings are expiring. Many of the homes still on the market were listed in spring, and as a result, there is less competition, particularly when you consider how your home will stand out as a new listing and fewer days on the market that your listing will boast.

2. Fall home buyers are more serious. These buyers have been looking at listings for months, and they are eager to conclude their search and move in comfortably before the holidays.

3. Interest rates are still at all-time lows. There is a threat that’s looming in people’s minds that rates are going to increase sooner rather than later. In a normal year, people may postpone their decision to buy a home until the spring, but this year I sense that these low interest rates will create some additional demand.

There is less competition in the fall selling season.

First, you have to prepare your home to account for the particular fall conditions. For example, you need to check the HVAC system and replace your furnace filter so your home will be warm and smell fresh. Get it tuned up and call an HVAC contractor to inspect it. Also, make sure to turn on all the lights; you've got to compensate for the shorter, cloudier days. Cleaning up the yard is also a must in order to maximize your curb appeal.

The second thing you need to do is price your home appropriately. You can always give our team a call and we’ll give you a free, no-obligation consultation to get an estimate on your home.

If you have any other questions about selling this fall, don’t hesitate to give me or my team a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Turn a Lowball Offer into a Home Run in 5 Steps

If you’re selling your home in South Central Pennsylvania and you receive a lowball offer on it from a potential buyer, you may be wondering whether it’s still possible to get a great deal on your home. Today I’d like to share five steps you should take that will help you turn that lowball offer into a home run:

1. Don’t be insulted by a lowball offer. Your first instinct when receiving a low offer on your home may be to get defensive. This is the most unproductive thing you can do. Try not to get emotional, keep an objective perspective, and realize that this buyer may not be doing this solely to make a personal attack on you or your home. It’s possible that they’ve been misinformed about starting with a low offer, and many times these people are expecting a counteroffer.  

2. Respond gracefully. Grace can go a long way. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes: if a seller launches a personal attack on you after making an offer, are you likely to come up on your price? The odds of the buyer coming up on their offer are much stronger when you respond with a graceful offer because you’re approaching them in a collaborative and positive way.

3. Write a strategic counteroffer. Don’t feel pressured to come down and meet the buyer halfway just because they lowballed you. It’s okay to give a little bit in good faith, but if your home is priced reasonably, there’s no reason you should slash your price.

4. Expect a counter to your counteroffer. It’s natural for this negotiation to feel a bit like a chess game, and you may counter back and forth a few different times. This is okay; just try your best to be patient.

5. Focus on things other than price. Get creative with terms like the settlement date, included appliances, and financing or inspection contingencies. One thing that you can rest assured in knowing is that if there are a lot of inspection contingencies, there may be repair requests later on. If this is the case, you could potentially turn a lowball offer into an as-is sale.

Don’t feel pressured to meet the buyer halfway.

If you have any questions about lowball offers or real estate in general, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to point you in the right direction!

5 Quick Ways to Add Value to Your Central PA Home

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If you’re planning on selling your home this summer, there are five things you can do to increase your home’s value:

1. Paint. I always recommend a fresh coat of paint. If you don’t have an eye for color, a coat of crisp white paint can go a long way. If you do have an eye for color, consider a light sand tone or shade of gray. A fresh coat of paint will give your house a nice finish and you will cover fingerprints and stains throughout the house.

2. Address your front door. A bright red or yellow door can differentiate your home from the rest of the properties on your street and make a great first impression on the buyer.

3. Increase your curb appeal. Landscaping is the name of the game. When buyers drive by, you want your landscaping to pop. Make sure you put down fresh mulch, edge and weed your lawn, and plant fresh flowers. If you can’t plant fresh flowers, at least bring in a few potted flowers by the front door.

If you do nothing else, make sure you clean and declutter.

4. Make quick bathroom updates. Install some new fixtures, paint the cabinets, or get a new vanity. Even just adding nice, fluffy towels, a fresh shower curtain, or a new rug can make your bathroom look new again (even if it really needs to be gutted).

5. Clean and declutter. If you don’t do any of the other things, make sure you clean and declutter. We all live in our homes and have useful, convenient things on every open surface. Clean off your countertops, nightstands, shelves, and more. Throw out old magazines. Take down personal photos. You have to pack anyway, so put some things in boxes and store them so your home looks bigger and cleaner when buyers walk through it.

If you have any questions about getting your home ready for the market, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

5 Factors That Influence Home Value

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What are the five most important factors that affect the value of a home?

1. Current location: Home value is influenced by a home’s location, depending on the neighborhood, municipality, values of surrounding homes, and even school district.

2. Future location: Although many sellers focus on current location, it’s critical to consider the future location. Think about what’s trending, any new developments, and property taxes in a prospective neighborhood.

3. Market timing: The state of the economy, interest rates, and other market trends will dramatically affect home value.
   Although many sellers focus on current location, it’s critical to consider the future location.

4. Zoning changes: If you’re located in a residential neighborhood, this might not impact you as much. However, if you’re in a metropolitan or downtown area, it’s important to keep an eye on zoning, especially if changes are occurring in surrounding properties.

5. Condition: Your home needs to be maintained to be in fair condition. The three most important rooms in your home include the kitchen, master bedroom, and master bathroom. Other bathrooms are important as well. Don’t overlook condition.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in Southcentral Pennsylvania, give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to answer any real estate questions you might have!