January/February 2022

REAL ESTATE
PROFESSIONAL HELP: Tips from local leaders in their industry
What's New for Two Thousand Twenty Two?
If anticipating the market for you is fun, just think about Two Thousand Twenty One!
WHILE THE LOCAL BUYING FRENZY HAS COOLED OFF
SLIGHTLY, THAT'S ALWAYS TRUE OF THE HOLIDAY/WINTER
SEASON. LOCAL HOME INVENTORY IS STILL VERY LOW, AND
SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES CONTINUE TO PLAGUE LOCAL BUILD-
ERS.
So come the spring thaw, we're most likely looking at a red hot
seller's market again in 2022. Home mortgage rates are still at
very desirable levels which is great for buyers, and homeowners
are looking at record levels of equity increases tempting them to
list their home and get that money in-hand for new plans. Both
are indicators of spring and summer transactions picking up to a
fever pitch again soon.
Are you thinking of getting into the home selling game this
season? What should you do to prepare if you're thinking about
listing this spring?
1. Attend to maintenance projects you may have put off for a
while. Get that HVAC system tuned up, check on the roof, do you
need paint? Exterior or interior? Or both? Do you have flakey
extension cords running here and there? What's happening in
the garage? Remember, your home sale will include inspections
-- it's better to be ahead of the game than to bring your transaction
to a halt with a bad inspection result.
2. De-clutter! Home shoppers don't want to see all of your stuff
like photos of every relative you have, or your collection of figurines,
or your stack of newspapers from 1978. Home buyers need
to be able to picture your home as their home -- that is the goal
after all. So put aunt Mabel's framed photo in a box and get her
ready for a place of prominence in your next home.
3. Clean and refresh. Sure, you love your Saint Bernard, but as
far as home shoppers are concerned, he's a soggy mess in the
winter. Make sure to keep Fido's lifestyle under control, at least
until your potential buyers have sealed the deal.
4. Kitchen and bath, redo any less than perfect silicon sealer,
clean tile grout and repair or replace any funky faucets, towel
bars, or shower caddys. Definitely lose the furry toilet seat cover.
5. Staging, if you're home doesn't give people a cool and chic
feeling like they just walked into an Ikea showroom, call a local
stager. Good staging companies will bring all that cool stuff over
and make your home look like a million bucks. Sure it costs a
bit to have your home staged, but it will be well worth it when
you realize a quick sale at full asking price, or if the recent local
market holds true, a bidding war!
6. How's your curb appeal? In some instances, the "walk-up" to
your home can leave a big impression. Do buyers have to mess
around with sticky gates, or make their way through a jungle of
unkept foliage? How's the front door working, is it sticky, does it
make a haunted house noise upon opening? All of these are key
to getting off on the right foot. Deal with them early!
7. Don't hover, buyers don't like to feel like they are being
watched by store security. They like to talk amongst themselves
when they are making this very important decision. It's kind of
like you're the groom seeing the bride before the wedding --
make yourself scarce! Professional real estate agents are good at
keeping the show moving and at not letting potential buyers get
off track, let them do their job.
Pro tip: when you know you have a showing scheduled, bake
cookies! Buyers love to walk into a home that smells like fresh
baked cookies! Or if that's too much work, boil a little apple juice
with a cinnamon stick in it on the stove for a few minutes --
same result, less work. Of course if you can actually offer buyers
a warm cookie, that can't hurt, it works for the Marriott Hotel
chain!
Good luck with your sale, and enjoy your next destination!
40 Willamette Living Magazine | January / February 2022