Determine competitive market rental value

A New Market

Speed Selling and Today’s Buyers BY NORMA There is also a growing sense of FLASKERUD “entitlement” in today’s homeowner

COVID-19 is wannabes. Many believe they “deserve” changing the home a home with upscale features and are buying process. not willing to live in a home that does Visitor numbers are not have the level of amenities they bedown significantly as lieve is essential to their lifestyle. open houses are indefinitely banned. In Preparing sellers for current buyers’ keeping with local showing rules, betrends fore visiting in person, buyers must sign 1.Educate COVID-19 related disclosures, and adClassic seller arguments include, here to specific time frames. Because of “We want the buyers to upgrade the the restrictions, buyers are using online home the way they want to,” or “If we repictures, even 3D tours to dramatically place the carpet, the buyer may not like shortlist the homes they will visit. It’s a it and we will have wasted our money.” win-win for buyers and sellers. Buyers These arguments are effectivecan spend more time sitting on their soly dead since most of today’s buyers fas viewing homes, and sellers endure do not want to fix up homes. When sellless risk of COVID-19 exposure. ers ask why they should spend money Sellers Prepare For Speed Dating to upgrade when a buyer might change

The best analogy for understanding things once they move in, the response what’s happening in real estate is online is, “If you can spend $1,000 to make dating. Prospective partners have very $2,000-$3,000, does it matter what buylittle time — mere seconds in fact — to ers do when they move in?” make a good impression. Sellers must understand that

Translated to homes, a seller has buyers are looking for homes that approximately seven seconds to make meet their criteria, not the seller’s. a positive impression before a conHomes that resonate with current buysumer moves on. With today’s showing ers’ tastes will reap significant rewards, limitations, buyers will not visit a home while homes that do not will languish unless they like what they see in those on the market, selling for less than they first seven to ten seconds online. The could have. new reality? If you only get seven secFactoring in a scarcity of contractors onds, learn how to make those seconds and the headache of completing a recount. model, buyers are willing to pay a preToday’s Buyers mium for a recently updated home.

A high percentage of today’s buy2. Maximize ers do not want fixer-uppers. Most milBuyers want updated kitchens and lennials have no idea how to improve a baths with solid-surface counters, conhome and are willing to pay a premium temporary tile, upscale laminate floors, for move-in-ready digs. and more. Today’s time-stressed buyers

Current buyers spend a lot of time do not have the time, energy or even viewing HGTV and as a result, their the know-how to fix up a home. Most tastes have been refined. A significant will gladly pay a premium for gorgeous, percentage of buyers are looking for move-in-ready properties. turn-key homes with upscale ameni3. Stage ties. We tell our sellers that when their Given that you have seven to ten homes go on the market, they are not seconds to make an impression, staging competing with other listings in their is essential. it’s all about staging for the neighborhood — they are competing the online pictures. with HGTV. 4. Showcase

Listings should include 30 to 40 professional high-quality photos optimized for mobile devices, virtual tours and more.

5. Prioritize

Pick photos that display the best features first. Start with a great shot of the outside then show key areas such as the bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry room and include lots of yard shots. If they like what they see, they will follow up with a visit in person.

We have a team of contractors who can provide you with recommendations for flooring, paint choices and staging to guide you along seamlessly!

Call the Flaskerud Team: (or text) 925-766-6679 Norma, 925-381-7276 Erik, Re/Max Accord DRE#00867031 NormaJ49@gmail.com SPONSORED CONTENT

CARPET • HARDWOOD CUSTOM RUGS LINOLEUM • TILE Family Owned Business Since 1989 3344 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Lafayette, CA 925.284.4440 www.LamorindaFloors.com License# 708486

COMING SOON:

5 Wildwood Place, Pleasant Hill $1,225,000 280 Fairway Dr., Danville $1,600,000 125 Collins Ct., Pleasant Hill $899,000

JUST SOLD:

120 Collins Ct., Pleasant Hill $950,000 140 Collins Ct., Pleasant Hill $850,000 1796 Ardith Dr., Pleasant Hill $740,000

CURRENT LISTINGS FOR SALE:

1958 Pleasant Hill Rd., Pleasant Hill $720,000 258 Jennifer Way, Pleasant Hill $865,000

It is a strong seller’s market; call now for your market analysis!

925.766.6679

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | AUGUST 2020 |