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Monday, March 24, 2014

Pasadena Real Estate is a Win-Win Right Now



Looking to buy or sell a home in Pasadena, California? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (626) 441-3449 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Today I have some great news for everyone in the Pasadena area looking to buy or sell. It appears that we have a win-win situation here whether you're buying or selling. There are a few reasons why this is true, and allow me to fill you in on why this is:
  1. Interest rates are still very low: Mortgage rates are hovering around 4-5%, and these historically low rates are making mortgages more affordable than ever. If you're selling, this will spur buyers to purchase. If you're buying, this is only another reason to buy now rather than later when interest will be rising.
  2. Prices are holding steady & rising: For example, just last month in Pasadena, there were 74 homes that closed Escrow, yet 26 of them closed at list price or above.
    • The same thing happened in San Marino, where 6 of the 7 properties were sold for much more than their listing prices. The same thing goes for South Pasadena too!
  1. Inventory is still low: This helps to raise the price of properties by creating a great demand for them. This will mainly help sellers, but as spring comes around the corner more homes will be popping up, and that will help buyers too. There will be more homes to choose from, so prices will not be shooting up as high.
If you've been delaying a real estate transaction, then now is the time to enter the market. Whether you're buying or selling, you can get a good price on a home, and I can help you. Contact me with any inquiries about Pasadena real estate and I would be more than willing to help you out.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

How to Price Your Property Accurately & Efficiently to Get Top Dollar



Looking to buy or sell a home in Pasadena, California? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (626) 441-3449 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

The other day I was talking to a client in Pasadena, and she was asking me why it was so important to price homes correctly. She assumed that asking for the highest price and then coming back down would be the best strategy, but that is a common misconception about pricing. Pricing very high and then going low should be avoided at all costs. Let me explain why...

The Nuances of Pricing Correctly

 

Every realtor has a different pricing strategy, but every realtor will probably agree that starting very high and then going low is definitely not the correct pricing strategy.
  • When you list your property at too high a price, buyers will not even want to see your home. What will happen is that they will walk down the street and look at other homes that are priced lower, and they will be more likely to buy them.
    • In effect, you are selling other homes by pricing your property too high!
  • When you list your home at a high price it will likely sit on the market for a while and not receive any offers. By this point other buyers will see this and wonder, "What else is wrong with this home?"
    • When this happens, your home becomes stale. The longer a home is on the market, the less money you will get for it.
      • My average days on market last year at this time was 15 days, just for your reference.

If You Price Attractively...Expect a Higher Overall Price


When you price correctly by finding a nice median value, you might find it hard to keep buyers away from your home. Buyers will see great value in your home, and will begin competing with each other for the best offer.
  • This competition will result in a higher price for your home which is driven by buyers' perceptions of value.
  • Instead of scaring buyers away with a high price, draw them in and make them compete for your home by pricing it attractively based on similar market values.
While there is no magical formula to create the best possible price for your home, there is a benefit to talking with an experienced realtor like myself who can gauge prices based on changing market conditions.

I would be glad to sit down with you to formulate a functional price for your home, or to discuss Pasadena real estate. You can call me at (626) 441-3449 or email me megmiddleman@gmail.com

In the meantime, feel free to use my home market value tool to assess a value for your property.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

My Two Secrets for Selling Luxury Real Estate for the Most Money



Looking to buy or sell a home in Pasadena, California? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (626) 441-3449 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

I've been fielding a lot of questions from my clients in regards to how I sell luxury real estate. It's not such a tricky field if you know who to work with, but you also need to have a strong working knowledge of the local and national luxury markets.

For example, last year I sold a few homes at list price and also a few more for 101% of list price to sale price ratio. This wasn't just exciting for myself, the home owners were very thrilled to see these numbers too.

There are actually two ways that I manage to sell luxury homes in this manner.
  1. I connect with luxury buyers. It took lots of time and effort, but I've managed to compile a list of clients that are in the market for luxury properties. This may be the most painstaking part of the process. It takes patience and luck.
  2. I then actively seek out luxury home owners. This is the point at which you must use your knowledge of the market, because I will contact homeowners and tell them what their home might actually bring them in a sale. If the home is priced at much more than they had thought, then I can begin connecting the buyer and the seller.
Bringing these two parties together will sometimes create a deal, but I've learned that they both have to be willing to make a transaction such as this one. For both parties it must make financial sense to go through with the deal, and that is where my knowledge of the market usually helps to clear up the picture on both sides.

Of course not all luxury homeowners are willing to sell on a whim, but if you present them with the right information at the right time and connect them with a willing buyer, there is a good chance for a deal.

If you're thinking about selling or buying luxury real estate, contact me, I'd like to sit down and talk to you about it.

I can be reached at (626) 441-3449 or email me at megmiddleman@gmail.com


Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Use My Resources to Buy & Sell Anywhere in the U.S.



Looking to buy or sell a home in Pasadena, California? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (626) 441-3449 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Realtors like myself work with a wide variety of people to perform our jobs successfully. After many years in the business, I've been able to coordinate with some outstanding companies in an extremely wide variety of places, ranging from here in LA to across the globe in Australia.

I can help situate you with lenders, contractors, plumbers, electricians, attorneys, estate sale companies, movers, and many, many more.

Even if you're needing assistance outside of the LA area, I can advise you to good companies in all 50 States, as well as Canada, Italy, and Australia!

Give me a call as your trusted Real Estate Resource Professional. I look forward to speaking with you.

Monday, January 13, 2014

What Steps Can You Take So Your Home Beats the Competition?



Click here to find out what your home is worth or to search all area homes for sale.

Welcome back! The other day a client asked me about how a buyer determines value in a home. This is a great question. When you list your home, you are competing against other sellers. How can you make yours stand out? Buyers determine value based off of comparison shopping. Here are a few things they compare.
  1. Price - How is yours compared? Is it too high? Is it competitive?
  2. Condition - Do you really know the condition of your home? Get a pre inspection so there are no surprises with your roof, foundation, electrical, etc.
  3. Location & Floor Plan - Now you can't do much to change these, but they are important to consider when pricing your home.
  4. Curb appeal - How your home looks on the outside is the first impression a buyer will have. It's important that the landscaping and exterior of the home looks wonderful.
These are just a few things to consider when listing your home. We have specific plans for your home, though. So when you are ready to sell, give me a call!

Monday, December 30, 2013

What Can You Expect in the Real Estate Market for 2014?



Over the past year we've seen some great opportunities for both buyers and sellers. Interest rates were great, homes sold fast and there were tons of buyers in the market.

We don't expect that great market to go away. The market has remained stable. For buyers, now is the time to get pre-approved. Interest rates are still phenomenally low and it's important to take advantage of that now.

Sellers - the inventory is still incredibly low and buyers need your home! Put your home on the market before the spring; beat your competition.

If you have any questions about what you can expect in 2014 or are ready to buy or sell, please give me a call today! Thanks for watching and happy new year!

Monday, December 16, 2013

Happy Holidays!



It’s hardly believable that we are at the cusp of yet another year – and it’s almost 2014! With a fantastic year behind us, we look ahead toward a great future in the coming months. I can’t tell you how much of a pleasure it has been serving our community members with the expert advice, one-on-one care and guidance with real estate endeavors in our communities.

Here’s a warm, resounding “Thank you!” to all our current and past clients. We believe you are more than just clients; you’re our friends and neighbors. We cherish that special relationship we have with each and every one of you.

Whether you have engaged in the purchase of a new home, sold a property or just needed advice and counsel on your real estate transactions – we have enjoyed being a part of the journey with you.

Once again, thank you for trusting us with one of the most important aspects of your life and we wish you a warm, wonderful holiday season – with many happy times to come in the New Year and beyond!