Thursday, January 24, 2013

BUYER'S DEMANDS BULLY SELLER

How Buyers have changed over the years. When we bought our first home, we bought the home not the color of paint on the walls or type of counter tops in the kitchen. We looked for the house that met our family's needs and offered the neighborhood in which we felt comfortable. We knew there were things we would be changing as we made the house our home.
 The right fit for our family came in PINK - yep a pink house! We moved into the home in Sept. and the following summer I - yes ME- I painted it white! The little "pink" house went through many changes in the 4 years we lived there and by the second year, it was just the way I wanted it.
 We put new tile in the bathroom, new carpeting throughout and repainted to our taste in colors. I always had the feeling that if I looked for a place that needed nothing, it would always be someone else's house and I wanted it to reflect our family. There also was a lot of pride in knowing we had done it and made it "Ours".
     I have the feeling that today's buyers are missing out and paying a lot more than they have to for someone else's decor.
 I've seen "laundry lists" of things the buyers want sellers to do.Of course, the offered bid was very low. New roof, new furnace, remove wall paper, paint basement...Yes, it is ridicules!
 I suppose this all started because sellers were so desperate that they were willing to do most anything to sell. Let's see...buy low and have the seller remodel!
The market is improving and sellers are not as desperate. I would like to see common sense return to the real estate market. Think it will happen or do we all watch "House Hunters" too much on tv?

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

"For Sale By Owners" More Determined Than Ever!

We, at Gateway Title, truly are "FSBO"(For Sale By Owner) experts.
This has been our niche' for 17 years and we have seen it all!
Before 2008, sellers would put their house on the market "by owner" to try it for a couple of weeks.
They usually set the asking price too high with the thought of making a real killing in a seller's market!
After a couple of weeks, if the property is not sold, the sellers call a real estate agent and list at a true market  price,it sells and they pay a commission.
Then of course, the past 4 years have been pretty dead. They go "by owner", then list, and when it expires go back to FSBO or, in total frustration,  take it off the market completely!
Now the "For Sale By Owners" are coming back with a determination I have never seen before.
They order our "Starter Kit" and also, as never before, read every word and call to "Smart Start" the title work (saves them $$).
They are tuned in to the real market value, they refuse to have to pay comission, many times,
 they offer modest
closing credits to a buyer, and THEY ARE SUCCEEDING!
It seems like Gateway is part of the FSBO underground because we get so many request from sellers who were referred by other buyers and sellers.We are working with many "family to family" transactions like never before and it seems  like "starter" homes are back in demand!
 Folks come out of the blue to use our services and we absolutely LOVE it!
We hope this activity is an indication of an improving market for all.
Heaven knows a better economy is what we're all praying for!
PS. Don't stop praying...We think it's working!