Why October is a great month for home buying?

by Chuck Roper 9. October 2018 06:59

We traditionally see a flurry of home buying activity in October.  School is in session, the weather in St. Louis is picture perfect and prices are often at their lowest.

Home buyers find good values in the Fall market.  A quick search through MLS shows a rich profusion of price reductions as summer ends and daylight shortens.  These price declines convey a seller’s motivation to put their home under contract and close before winter sets in.   Great values can be found in long dated listings which are just now reduced to compelling prices.

Also at this time of year, new listings are likely to be competitively priced.  Sellers, who don’t relished the prospect of open houses or showings throughout the holidays, feel urgency to attract a buyer in less time than their Spring counterpart.  Moreover, sellers recognize they are in direct competition with existing inventory with newly reduced prices. 

If you are a Seller with your home currently for sale or you are considering listing your home now, here are a few tips.

 

1.  Refresh your outdoor pots with Fall flowers and foliage.  Trim back summer growth on shrubs and perennials if shaggy.

2.  Make sure you have photos of your swimming pool before it is closed and the furniture stored.  Since your buyer will not be able to inspect the pool entirely during winter, ask your pool company to give you a letter stating that it was in good working condition at the time of closing.   

3.  Do you same for your HVAC.   Buyers cannot test the air conditioner when the temperature is below 62 degrees.  Having a letter from your professional will provide a level of comfort for a prospective buyer.

4.  Let the intense Fall sunlight shine through clean windows.  Pollen can cloud the beautiful clear light you want to take advantage of this time of year.  

5.  Make sure your house is set at a comfortable temperature for showings. This can be challenging when temperatures fluctuate every day.

6.  Finally, this is not the time to “test the market” with an over inflated price.  

 

-Janet Horlacher

Principal

Janet McAfee Real Estate

What Constitutes Luxury?

by Chuck Roper 30. July 2018 09:03

If there’s one thing I’ve learned all these years as a luxury Realtor, is “Luxury” means something unique to each of us.  Luxury is personal.  

•  Luxury = Lifestyle.  Luxury buyers are inspired by amenities which enhance the home experience.  Lifestyle seekers are excited by outdoor kitchens, breathtaking pools and spas, wine tasting rooms, whole house media systems and over the top master closets. 

•  Luxury = Smart.  Technology has introduced a whole new landscape of luxury features for savvy home buyers.   Temperature controlled wine cellars, variable speed air conditioners and window glass which goes from clear to opaque are features which motivate this buyer.  Does our future include A.I. devices in every room?

•  Luxury = Aesthetic.  Buyers are seeking exceptional design and exclusivity.   Architectural provenance is important for the buyer looking for historic significance.  Haute home interiors include hand crafted draperies and authentic wall murals, which cannot be replicated.

What does luxury mean to you?   

-Janet Horlacher

Is the Market Heating Up?

by Chuck Roper 25. June 2018 06:54

Is the real estate market as HOT as our temperatures have been?  Every month, we monitor key statistics for all homes in our MLS as well as specific geographies.  Here’s a snapshot of all homes in the MLS this year through May 31, 2018 compared to last year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Closed Sales Dollar Volume          Up 6.5% 

Average Sold Price                       Up 4.3%

 

Average Days on Market               Down 3.6%

% List Price to Sale Price              Up .4%

 

New Listings                                Up 1.2%

Available Listings                         Down 3.6%

 

Our collection of fine listings has never been better. 

 

Janet Horlacher

What is your home’s Aesthetic?

by Chuck Roper 7. July 2017 05:50

I believe every home has an aesthetic, whether it be a specific architectural period (like Tudor, Greek Revival or Mid Century Modern) or it could be a certain look (like bright and airy sunlight filled rooms) which strikes us as we tour the home.   St. Louis homes are rich in diversity and architectural interest.

Our job as Realtors is to communicate the home’s aesthetic to potential buyers.  Not every home appeals to every buyer, but there is a buyer for every home.  Each of us carries our own sense of style and perceptions about how our home should look and feel.  Often times, I hear buyers explain their criteria for buying a home with terms like “I will know it’s the right house when I see it.” 

This month we are focusing on how to best present the home’s aesthetic.  With technological advances in photography and digital media, there are so many opportunities to capture the home’s true essence.  With regard to interior photography, it is about more than just high resolution; we look at lighting, depth of field, composition and color.   For exterior, we love aerial, drone video and twilight photography.

Janet Horlacher

Principal, Janet McAfee Real Estate

 

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