Monthly Archives: November 2010

Tis the Season

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I had lunch with a former client last week, who asked me if my business slows down this time of year.  The truth is my business just changes.  It doesn’t really slow down, because I don’t really slow down.  The one thing I tend to do a little less of between Thanksgiving and Christmas is open houses.  Buyers who don’t have agents tend to go to open houses.  When you are looking for a house on your own, you tend to have other things to do on the weekends during the holiday season, especially if you are not really focused on what you want, or what you can afford.  Buyers who have agents, have the luxury of having someone else help them, which saves time, so serious people are still out there buying.  At the end of the day, Buyers still need and want to buy, and Sellers still need and want to sell.

I love listing homes this time of year for a couple of reasons.  The first, is because people tend to have company this time of year, so they are naturally organizing and cleaning.  Selling your home is not always a great motivator for cleaning it, so knowing Grandma Jean is coming to count the cobwebs tends to naturally motivate homeowners.
 
Do you know what the biggest day of the year to start looking for a house is?  It’s December 26th — the day after Christmas.  That’s my second reason I like listing homes this time of year, because we are ready for December 26th.  We have all of the marketing in place and the house is clean and organized.  So, as I would say:  It’s ShowTime!

Love Thy Neighbor

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The number one reason why sellers do not want to have an open house is because they don’t want neighbors to come.  Yes, sometimes the neighbors you love, like or could live without, will transition into ‘nosey’ neighbor status when its time to sell your home.  All of their curiosities about what color you painted the living room, or what room that window looks out from, can all be answered at an open house.   While I do appreciate and respect a seller’s desire for privacy, let me point out the benefit of neighbors visiting the open house.

There is no greater billboard for the positive features of your neighborhood,  than your neighbor.  Your neighbors have the inside scoop on what it’s really like to live in your community.  They know how long it takes to commute to a variety of areas, about local hot spots, even what corner the bus picks the kids up for school. 
The best part about neighbors coming is that they generally like the seller’s house better than their own.  Either the storage is better, or the floorplan in the kitchen makes more sense, what ever the reason — it’s always positive and they are always eager to share their opinions with potential buyers.
There is no greater testimonial for a potential buyer, then hearing how happy neighbors love their community.  So, love thy neighbor.  They are your greatest cheerleaders. Remember, they have relatives, co-workers and friends and have the potential to bring you a great buyer.

Step 1: Call a Lender

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Tony Robbins is a pretty well known motivational speaker.  One of the things he is known for, are his Personal Power® seminars, which are designed to motivate and reorganize your life.  I had one of his first tapes years ago.  The first lesson was about making a list of the things you need to get done or want to do.  The advice he gave, which has always stuck with me, is to do what you have the least desire to do first. 

I have said this before, and you will hear me say it again, looking at homes is the fun part, so it’s the item on the list buyers want to do first.  Unfortunately, it should be last on your list.  The first thing you need to do is contact a lender.  Nowadays, it’s not just about what you get paid, but how you get paid. If you get a commission based salary, qualifying for a loan is different.  Your assets, debt and credit score are also significant factors in determining how much of a house you can afford.

I understand, talking to a lender is work and it takes time.  Look at it as a way of self assessing whether you really want to buy at house.  If it all seems like more trouble than its worth – you are not ready. If it seems logical to get a good idea of what you can afford, then you are ready to buy a house.  Looking at homes takes time. Buying a home takes even more.  Spending time looking at things you can afford will save you time, not to mention, unnecessary disappointment in the end.