Earlier this spring we were asked to help a family sell their home under same very challenging circumstances. The circumstances were challenging because the owner had recently passed away, and her 22-year-old son who was in charge of the estate was overwhelmed by the responsibilities that were before him.

So needless to say we were more than happy to help our young client clean the house, clean up the yard, and address some much-needed repairs. But the house was still in rough shape. It was filled with the smell of cigarette smoke, and all of the carpet needed to be replaced. Even so, getting the house to this less-than-perfect state was a big accomplishment given the family's limited resources.

How it all played out

When we launched the listing, it was the height of the spring selling season. Back when there were less than 300 homes available in the whole county, and back when mortgage rates were less than 5 percent. It was also a season when many buyers were behaving irrationally. And some, even desperately.

So the buyers lined up to tour the home. Our client received several offers. And fortunately for our client we were able to negotiate a clean offer for more than $10,000 above the list. 

Fast-forward 6 months and the truth is we would be hard-pressed to produce these same results. Because buyers this fall have evolved from irrational and desperate to selective and discerning. Today's buyers are still willing to pay a premium, but not for the home that requires a significant amount of work.

All of this is to say that it's time for sellers to get back to the basics. The basics of repairs and maintenance. Cosmetics and staging. Photos and marketing. And pricing and negotiation. The fundamentals seemingly disappeared from our field over the last 3 years, but the reality right now is that the fundamentals truly matter once again.

If selling your home is in future, the good news for you is that we've been practicing the fundamentals and honing our craft all along. We haven't wavered in our approach, and we're well-prepared to help you experience a successful sale in our new and evolving market. 

We would love to hear from you and help you prepare and plan for your future. Contact your favorite Mad City Dream Homes realtor to get started.