July and August are traditionally slower months with respect to new inventory coming on the market. Statistically speaking, we don’t seem to have a problem with transactional volume right now. But I can tell you that I have about five sets of active buyer clients, and every property seems to have many other interested buyers.
I do know that many homeowners are planning to put their homes on the market in the popular Fall selling season, which kicks off right after Labor Day and tails off around Thanksgiving. If you’re at all considering jumping into the game in September or October, it’s really important for you to start planning now. You need to figure out how best to present your property, and how much it’s realistically worth. You’ve seen steadily rising sale prices in your immediate neighborhood, but you haven’t seen these properties in person; so how does yours stack up?
This is the time to consult a real estate agent who will be your advisor and hopefully someone you can trust to act in your best interests. Ask your neighbors, co-workers or friends who they worked with in their home sale (and if they were happy with the services), or perhaps you can contact your favorite experienced, well-connected Realtor-blogger. Contact that agent and schedule a meeting to evaluate your property and discuss your options. If you’re going to need typical pre-sale things like floor refinishing, staging and painting, it’s important to start getting on the tradespeople’s calendars.
As always, give me a shout at eileen@insidesfre.com or 415.823.4656, and I’d be happy to meet with you.