Tag: sell your house

Fall Real Estate Market – For Sellers….

For those of you who follow my blog – you may have read my entry about buying in the Fall. It truly is a great opportunity in the market. So today, let me focus on the sellers because it is still a great time in Silicon Valley Real Estate.

Often sellers feel, in order to get the most bang for their buck, they need to wait and sell in the Spring. Yes, that can be true. Historically that is when the most buyers are out in force and their football spouses are off the sofa!  However, I don’t know about you – but life happens everyday all year round – so often, a seller cannot wait till March to get their home on the market. And I’m here to say – that is ok!

Truthfully every day homes come on and off the market. Life has its moments – job transfers, babies, weddings and funerals. There are always buyers in the mix – it’s just that most of them are on board in the Spring. It can be a frenzy and in that frenzy some homes can get overlooked. Making the Fall a great opportunity to stand out.

Today, we are in a very interesting Fall Real Estate market. We truly have the lowest interest rates in history. 3% at the moment! Now, for several years I know we’ve been saying these are the lowest rates in history – because they have continuously gone down. However, it is forecasted to change. Many people feel our market is fueled by these lowest of low rates and that once rates go up – purchase power will go down. Well that is truly the brass tacks of it – they are right. That is how the math works. Yet there is one thing that keeps our Silicon Valley Real Estate market strong – demand. We have the most demand in the country and that keeps our values up.

So what does this mean for sellers? If you wait to sell your home next year in the Spring – and interest rates go up – you could loose a chunk of your potential buying pool. And how home prices keep soaring up – is demand and multiple offers on homes. Without multiple offers the catbird seat is handed over from the seller to the buyer. Really it comes down to this – you will sell your home for the best price the current market will hold. So no matter what happens – keep that in mind. And right now – market values are still up and with demand to boot.

Usually I do not see many homes come on the market in the Fall. However in recent weeks, that opposite is true. I am actually seeing homes listed every day – along with many price reductions for homes that may have been lost in the shuffle over the Summer. (Happy to chat about how that happens if you are interested – reach out.)

So, if you are considering a move – chew on this – each client has unique Real Estate needs. I cannot, nor my Realtor constituents, foretell the future. What we can do is plan on the market today. With so many eager buyers still in the market, holding their awesome pre-approval letters and dying to lock at 3% interest rate – they are ready, willing and able to buy NOW. Which makes this a unique and wonderful time to sell!

Do you have questions or concerns – please contact The Caton Team, we’re happy to sit down with you, listen your needs and goal and devise a plan of action. Maybe we sell today, maybe tomorrow – either way The Caton Team is dedicated to your financial needs and goals. Let’s end this year on a positive note. How can The Caton Team help you?

Remember to follow our Blog for the local real estate beat, a pulse on the San Francisco Peninsula at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.  

Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200

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Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

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Curb Appeal, Staging Rated as Best Home Improvement Projects for Sellers


Curb Appeal, Staging Rated as Best Home Improvement Projects for Sellers

 

Today’s home sellers should focus on curb appeal and home staging above larger-scale home renovations, according to a new survey from Zillow Digs. Zillow asked real estate agents and interior designers nationwide to identify the most valuable home improvements for sellers, and the experts agree that minor improvements like landscaping and painting walls in neutral colors save money and attract buyers faster.

Agents agree that sellers should avoid costly projects prior to listing their home, as the increased sale price may not outweigh the time and money spent on the remodel. Instead, agents and designers recommend spending money on minor renovations that will bring the home up to current market standards while also appealing to the broadest number of potential buyers.

According to the survey, the top 5 projects for sellers are:

  • Curb Appeal: Creating a strong first impression is imperative as buyers begin making assumptions about a home well before they step inside.
  • Staging: A home stager can skillfully identify ways to highlight a home’s best features and compensate for its shortcomings.
  • Invest in Small Home Improvements:  Both agents and designers agree that sellers should never invest in a major renovation before selling.
  • Declutter: This sounds simple, but according to experts, it’s the one of the most important things a homeowner should do before selling. A clean house feels more spacious and helps buyers easily envision themselves in the home.

Granite Countertops and Stainless Steel Appliances: Most buyers are still requesting granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Sellers should keep in mind that most high-end finishes don’t equal high-end returns. However, incorporating granite and new appliances can help catch a buyer’s eye.

Remember to follow our Blog at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com/

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.  

Email Sabrina & Susan at:  Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522  Office:  650-365-9200

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Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

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Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE#70000218/ 01499008

5 Reasons Why now Is The Time To Sell Your Home

5 Reason Why Now Is The Time To List Your Home For Sale

If you are considering the sale of your home – waiting may not be necessary.  Contact The Caton Team with any questions.  We’d be happy to meet with you and let you know what your home is currently worth and what The Caton Team can do to sell your home.  Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Many homeowners are waiting until the Spring ‘buying season’ to list their homes for sale. Here are five reasons why that might not make sense this year:

1.) Demand Is High

Homes are selling at a pace not seen since 2007. The most recent Existing Home Sales Report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) showed that annual sales in 2012 increased 9.2% over 2011. There are buyers out there right now and they are serious about purchasing.

2.) Supply Is Low

The monthly supply of houses for sale is at its lowest point (4.4 months) since May of 2005. The current month’s supply is down 21.6% from the same time last year. Historically, inventory increases dramatically in the spring. Selling now when demand is high and supply is low may garner you your best price.

3.) New Construction Is Coming Back

Over the last several years, most homeowners selling their home did not have to compete with a new construction project around the block. As the market is recovering, more and more builders are jumping back in. These ‘shiny’ new homes will again become competition as they are an attractive alternative to many purchasers.

4.) Interest Rates Are Projected to Inch Up

The Mortgage Bankers’ Association has projected mortgage interest rates will inch up approximately one full point in 2013. Whether you are moving up or moving down, your housing expense will be more a year from now if a mortgage is necessary to purchase your next home.

5.) Timelines Will Be Shorter

The dramatic increase in transactions caused many challenges to the process of buying or selling a home in 2012. We waited for inspections, dealt with last minute appraisals and prayed that the bank didn’t ask for ‘just one more piece of paper’ before issuing a commitment on the mortgage. There are fewer transactions this time of year. That means that timetables on each component of the home buying process will be friendlier for those involved in transactions over the next 90 days.

These are five good reasons why you should consider listing your house today instead of waiting.

The Caton Team is here to help.  With over 25 years of combined Real Estate experience – what can The Caton Team do for you?  Info@TheCatonTeam.com Voicemail at 650-568-5522 

To view the original article, click here: http://www.kcmblog.com/2013/01/28/5-reasons-you-should-list-your-house-today/

I read this article at: http://newsgeni.us/?em=sabrina_caton@yahoo.com&p=106816

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.

Email Sabrina & Susan at:  Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Visit our Website at:   http://thecatonteam.com/

Visit us on Facebook:   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sabrina-Susan-The-Caton-Team-Realtors/294970377834

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Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

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Thanks for reading – Sabrina

 

GOOD NEWS FOR SELLERS – Home prices in 20 major U.S. cities were up – biggest jump in more than 6 years!

I was beside myself when I came across this article from Money.Cnn.com. Realtors are seeing this market and are trying to get the news out there. On the SF Peninsula – we have an excess of buyers ready to move and bare bones inventory. If you are considering the sale of your home – let your Realtor know! The Caton Team enjoys sitting down with sellers and showing them where the market is and where we expect it to go. Enjoy this article!

Home prices in 20 major U.S. cities were up 5.5% in November compared to a year earlier, their biggest jump in more than six years.

The latest reading of the closely watched S&P Case-Shiller index is another sign of the growing recovery in the long-battered housing market.

The last time prices jumped this much was in August 2006, when the housing bubble was still inflating. Soon after that, prices went into a steep decline that led to a flood of foreclosures. That sparked the most serious economic downturn since the Great Depression.

“Housing is clearly recovering,” said David M. Blitzer, chairman of the index committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices. “Prices are rising as are both new and existing home sales. These figures confirm that housing is contributing to economic growth.”

Housing prices have been helped by a number of factors in recent months, including increased sales of both new homes and previously-owned houses, a drop in foreclosures, and near record low mortgage rates. A drop in the nation’s unemployment rate also is helping.

The rise in home prices is good news for more than just people hoping to sell their home. The higher prices rise, the fewer homeowners that will be underwater on their mortgage, meaning they owe more on their homes than they are worth. That can help many homeowners refinance and save money, which would pump more cash into the economy.

“The ongoing price appreciation is significant, because we expect housing wealth effects to be an important factor driving economic growth in 2013, possibly matching the direct impact on economic output from the rebound in homebuilding,” said Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist for Deutsche Bank.

Related: Housing to drive economic growth (finally!)

Michael Gapen, senior U.S. economist for Barclays, said the fundamentals for the housing market are now strong enough that his firm is forecasting another 6% to 7% rise in prices in 2013, and a 5% to 6% rise again next year. He said the tight supply of homes for sale on the market should support continued price increases, and that the decline in foreclosed homes for sale is reducing the drag that those distressed properties had on overall prices.

How to play the 2013 housing market

“I’m not worried about these increases being overdone,” he said. “Home prices overcorrected a bit on the downside, and what we’re seeing now is a recovery from that.”

Sabrina’s 2 Cents: If you want to be a homeowner – don’t shy away just because prices are moving. There is a saying in Real Estate – “Don’t Wait and Buy Real Estate – Buy Real Estate and WAIT!” Why you ask? Because investing in real estate, even if it is the home you live in, is an investment. Buy Low. Sell High. That’s the idea. So if you want to be call your self a SF Peninsula homeowner – don’t sit on the sidelines and wait – come in and sit down with The Caton Team – we’ll come up with a plan to turn your real estate dreams into realty.

Related: Home building surges 12%

The S&P Case-Shiller index tracks home prices in 20 major markets. The latest reading showed 19 of them posting a gain in prices, with only New York posting a modest decline from a year earlier. Phoenix, one of the markets hit hardest by the housing crisis, posted the biggest increase, with home prices there climbing 22.8%.

San Francisco and Las Vegas, markets that were also hit by the housing boom and bust, also posted double-digit increases, while Miami, another bubble market, posted a 9.9% rise. Detroit, a city where economic problems led to a high rate of foreclosures, enjoyed an 11.9% price increase.

But even with November’s strong gains, the overall index stands 29% below the home price peak reached in the summer of 2006.

I read this article here: http://money.cnn.com/2013/01/29/news/economy/home-prices/index.html?hpt=hp_t3b

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.

Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Visit our Website at: http://thecatonteam.com/

Visit us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sabrina-Susan-The-Caton-Team-Realtors/294970377834

Yelp us at: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-caton-team-realtors-sabrina-caton-and-susan-caton-redwood-city

Or Yelp me: http://www.yelp.com/user_details_thanx?userid=gpbsls-_RLpPiE9bv3Zygw

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com

Thanks for reading – Sabrina