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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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!

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!

How to Prepare Your Home for the Market

Welcome back to my video blog. If you're thinking about selling your home, you might be wondering how to prepare it for the market. While each home is different, it's important to present your home in a way that is appealing to most buyers.

Some sellers ask if they should remodel or renovate. Not necessarily. There are a lot of buyers out there looking for fixer-uppers. They want to remodel the home how they want it to look.

A basic coat of paint can really help improve how the home looks both on the inside and the outside.

You can also stage your home. This can mean hiring a professional stager or getting new furniture.

If you have questions about your home specifically, give me a call. Let's find out what's the best way to get your home ready for the market.

4 Reasons to Sell During the Holidays

Welcome back! The holidays are here and that always brings the question whether now is a good time to sell or not. There’s a big misconception that the winter months aren’t a good time to list your home, but that simply isn’t true.

There are actually four great reasons why you SHOULD list your home.

1. There’s lower inventory - Because so many people believe the misconception that now is the wrong time to sell, it means there is less competition for you.
2. Buyers are more serious - The buyers that are looking during the holidays are have-to-buy buyers. We find most people who are relocating for jobs look during the holidays.
3. Homes look great - Who doesn’t love holiday lights and decorations? The buyer often can become emotional when seeing homes like this.
4. We can arrange timing - You may be worried that you’ll have to move right during the holidays, but we can arrange the timing and the closing to fit your needs.

These are four great reasons why you should list your home now. So give me a call and we can get started marketing!

Thanks for watching!

Now is the Time to Buy and Sell

How much inventory is out there for buyers in the market

Our market is experiencing incredibly low inventory right now, especially compared to this time last year. What’s interesting, though, is our market is also expanding. This means homes are selling quickly as more and more properties are coming on the market.

Now is the ideal time to list your home. Not only will your property sell quickly, but for a great price as well. Most homes are getting multiple offers and homes are selling for list price or above!

Because of low interest rates, there is a pent up demand. Buyers want to lock in the lowest rate possible so they can pay thousands of dollars less on the life of the loan.

If you are ready to buy or sell, give me a call at 626.441.349

How are interest rates affecting the market?

Welcome back to my video blog!

How are interest rates affecting the market?

As the economy improves, interest rates begin to increase as well. While in the past couple of months they have increased, they are still historically low.

I remember in 1987 when I bought my home I was excited about the 13 percent interest rate I locked in! Can you believe that?

Now is the perfect time for both buyers and sellers. We expect interest rates to stay relatively low throughout the next year. So, take advantage!

Thanks for watching!

Increasing Home Prices

Welcome back to my video blog. As many of you may have noticed, home prices have been on the rise. How long will this last?

That’s a good question. First, it’s important to know why it’s happening. Currently we have an unbalanced market. The demand for homes outweighs the supply. This is especially true in popular neighborhoods.

It isn’t uncommon for some homes to receive up to 20 offers. When multiple offers are received on a property, the price gets bid up.

We can expect prices to drop once more homes come on the market, but we aren’t sure when that will be.

If you have any real estate questions, please give me a call! Thanks for watching!

Mid Year Market Update August 2013

Mid Year Market Update August 2013

Hello, everyone! Welcome back to my video real estate blog.

How is the real estate market?

This is an interesting question! We are more than halfway through the year and have had an incredible market. In the last month alone, we’ve seen more then 75% of sold homes get list price or above! That’s amazing!

It truly is a fantastic time for both buyers and sellers. If you want to sell your home, but do not know the value of your property, call me! I’d be more than happy to give you a free market analysis!

Will We Get Multiple Offers?

 

Interested in selling your home? Check out our Free Home Value Report!

Hi everyone! Most homes are receiving multiple offers. We have a high pent up demand for homes. Now that interest rates are increasing, it’s important for buyers to find a home now and lock in those low interest rates!

The economy has been improving, people have steadier jobs and rates are lower than they’ve ever been. Buyers want to buy while rates and prices are still low!

Sell Your Pasadena Home

 

Interested in selling your Pasadena home? Check out our Free Home Value Report!

Is this a great time to be selling your home?
This is a great time to be selling your property. More than half of the homes that closed escrow last month sold for list price or above. It is an amazing time to sell your home.

What does a seller need to do to prepare their home to be sold?
Preparing your home for the market can be different for each seller; it really depends on the home and location. We have a lot of buyers who are looking for fixer-uppers, homes that they can remodel in their own way.

To make your home more appealing to more people, though, paint the interior and exterior of your property. You can also stage your home; you can buy new furniture or use your own. You can even hire a professional to help you. The most important thing, though, is to get your home on the market now. Now is the time to sell!

What is the Inventory Right Now in the Market Compared to Last Year?

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The inventory is incredibly low compared to last year, but the market is expanding as well. What does this mean?  Homes are selling quickly, but as they do more homes are coming on the market.  Now is the perfect time to sell your home for a great price!

If you are interested in buying or selling your home, call 626-441-3449

Waiting for the Market to Turn? It HAS Turned and Now is THE Time to Sell!

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Just a few short years ago most of us could not have seen this coming but here we are today, at the cusp of the second quarter in 2013 and our housing market is completely changed. In fact, whereas just a short time ago sellers couldn’t get enough buyers to come through their homes, now buyers are the ones struggling to find the home of their dreams.

Sellers Enjoying a Lot More Control in the Marketplace

We are seeing multiple offers, price battles and homes selling in record time.

Buyers are competing against each other like we haven’t seen in ages and that usually means one trying to upstage the other’s offer. We are seeing fewer seller concessions requested at times and in some cases, buyers are willing to forego some contingencies on their offers.

So if you have been on the fence about selling your home, consider putting it on the market now. Not only are homeowners getting at or more than list price in many cases, but also buyers are the ones pulling out all the stops to engage sellers’ interest.

Buyer Demand Expected to Stay High Through Summer

How long will this last? No one can say but we can tell you that right now our inventory of homes available for sale is far lower than the demand for well-priced quality homes located in good locations.

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Contact us today if you’d like to experience this strong sellers’ marketplace!

626 441 3449 megmiddleman@gmail.com

Brush Up the Look of Your Front Steps

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Curb appeal gets buyers in the door.  If you want to spruce up the front of your home without spending a lot of money, consider painting your front steps.  Typically choose darker colors to hide wear and tear.  Colors from nature and from the same family are a great choice for a craftsman-style home.  With other styles of architecture choose cool gray because it compliments every color and even when it gets dirty, it maintains its look. To learn more, watch the video.

Strap On Your Seatbelts - Real Estate in 2013 is Going to Be FABULOUS

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Have you been following the real estate market? If you said “yes” then you probably already know that a few years ago our market hit what was one of the worst mortgage crises in the history of our housing industry. Today, just 5 years later we have great news to report!

Coming to you from sunny San Diego, where 3,000 of the country’s top agents are getting together at the seminar hosted by the Mike Ferry Organization, I am hearing the same news from everyone.

Notable Increases Year Over Year

Looking at the number of homes sold, the national market overall experienced a significant 9% increase year over year in 2012 versus the previous year.  Focusing on November alone in 2012, the average home price increased by 7.4% from the same time in 2011.

Heightened Activity Expected Ahead

As we move forward into what will undoubtedly be one of the busiest real estate seasons we have experienced for a while, nearly all of us are expecting lots of buyer demand, more and more people looking to capitalize on the still very low interest rates and fairly low prices.

For sellers, this could not be a better time to sell your home. Increased buyer demand and fewer available homes on the market allows for high list-to-sale ratios as a result of multiple offers and artificial price inflation.

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If you would like to talk to us about listing your home at this fantastic time to sell, or if you are interested in buying a home, we invite you to contact us today. Together, we can make your real estate dreams become a reality!

626 441 3449

megmiddleman@gmail.com