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CategoriesLatest in BlogVLSI Technology
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Real Estate Sellers Blog  Sellers ... Stay Informed on the Local Market
Ask Questions..Get Answers
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Is Now a Good Time to Put Your Home on the Market in Lexington South Carolina |
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Many people do not want their home on the market during the Christmas Season. While it is true that we have fewer buyers looking during this time of the year, those that are looking are generally more serious than some of the people we have looking during the summer months. Another reason this is a good time to have your home on the market is it is generally cleaner and of course it is decorated for the holidays and will show extremely well.
You also need to keep in mind that since the Homebuyers Tax Credit has been extended and expanded, there may be a good tax saving for the purchaser as well as for your self if you are planning on purchasing another home. For someone that currently owns a home, they must have lived in it for 5 of the past 7 years in order to qualify for the tax credit, which is up to $6,500. This is a nice bonus for someone that purchases before April 30, 2010 and closes before June 30, 2010. So if you have been in your home for at least 5 years and are planning to purchase another home, now is the time to get your home on the market so you can get it closed and be able to close on another home before time runs out.
The last reason I am going to address is interest rates. As I’m sure you are aware, interest rates are still at near record lows. While no one has a crystal ball to see what they are going to do in the future, I fell that it is pretty safe to say that they will not get much lower, if any. In fact, many believe that we will start to see interest rate going up in the near future.
When you look at the above reasons, I’m sure you will agree that this IS the best time to put your home on the market!
For more information on the Lexington SC Real Estate market visit our website at http://www.LexingtonSCHomesOnline.com, give me a call at (803) 233-7544 or fill out the following form and I will be in touch with you shortly. |
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Pending Homes Sales Rise of Ninth Month |
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RISMEDIA, December 2, 2009—Pending home sales have risen for nine months in a row, a first for the series of the index since its inception in 2001,according to the National Association of Realtors®.
The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in October, increased 3.7% to 114.1 from 110.0 in September, and is 31.8% above October 2008 when it was 86.6. The rise from a year ago is the biggest annual increase ever recorded for the index, which is at the highest level since March 2006 when it was 115.2.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said home sales are experiencing a pendulum swing. “Keep in mind that housing had been underperforming over most of the past year. Based on the demographics of our growing population, existing-home sales should be in the range of 5.5 million to 6.0 million annually, but we were well below the 5-million mark before the home buyer tax credit stimulus,” he said. “This means the tax credit is helping unleash a pent-up demand from a large pool of financially qualified renters, much more than borrowing sales from the future.
The PHSI in the Northeast surged 19.9% to 100.2 in October and is 44.2% above a year ago. In the Midwest the index rose 11.6% to 109.6 and is 36.6% higher than October 2008. Pending home sales in the South increased 5.4% to an index of 115.4, which is 31.6% above a year ago. In the West the index fell 11.2% to 127.7 but is 21.9% above October 2008.
For more information on everything dealing with Lexington South Carolina Real Estate visit our website at http://www.LexingtonSCHomesOnline.com or fill out the following form and I will be in touch with you shortly.
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Big Rebound in Existing Home Sales by Lexington, SC Real Estate expert Charles Still |
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Existing-home sales bounced back strongly in September with first-time buyers driving much of the activity, marking five gains in the past six months, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
Existing-home sales-including single-family, townhomes, condominiums, and co-ops-jumped 9.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.57 million units in September from a level of 5.10 million in August, and are 9.2 percent higher than the 5.10 million-unit pace in September 2008. Sales activity is at the highest level in more than two years, since it hit 5.73 million in July 2007.
Early information from a large annual consumer study to be released on Nov. 13, the 2009 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, shows that first-time home buyers accounted for more than 45 percent of home sales during the past year. A separate practitioner survey shows that distressed homes accounted for 29 percent of transactions in September.
Total housing inventory at the end of September fell 7.5 percent to 3.63 million existing homes available for sale, which represents an 7.8-month supply at the current sales pace, down from an 9.3-month supply in August. Unsold inventory totals are 15.0 percent below a year ago.
Here's the region-by-region picture:
· Northeast: Existing-home sales increased 4.4 percent to an annual level of 950,000 in September, and are 11.8 percent higher than September 2008. The median price was $234,700, down 7.0 percent from a year ago.
· Midwest: Existing-home sales jumped 9.6 percent in September to a pace of 1.25 million and are 7.8 percent above a year ago. The median price was $147,600, which is 1.0 percent below September 2008.
· South: Existing-home sales rose 9.0 percent to an annual level of 2.06 million in September and are 10.8 percent higher than September 2008. The median price was $153,500, down 7.6 percent from a year ago.
· West: Existing-home sales surged 13.0 percent to an annual rate of 1.30 million in September and are 5.7 percent above a year ago. The median price in the West was $219,000, which is 15.0 percent below September 2008.
Source: National Association of Realtors®
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How To Effectively Sell Your Home in the Lexington South Carolina Real Estate Market |
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How To Effectively Sell Your Home in the Lexington South Carolina Real Estate Market
As a real estate agent who has experience in the Lexington South Carolina Real Estate market, many people have been helped by me with purchasing and selling their homes. I’m about to show you some of the most useful suggestions that will help you sell any house. When you finish reading this article, you will know how to manage a quick, stress free sale of your home.
A well presented home sells much more easily and for a higher price that a home of equal value without the staging. If you have never staged a home before, it might seem like a daunting task but in reality it is a simple process involving a few steps.
1) Before showing your home, make any repairs needed to the house. Floor, appliances and fixtures should be taken care of.
2) Get rid of extra junk. Limit clutter by removing all unnecessary pieces.
3) Your house should really shine. Beautify your front yard, get your carpets steam cleaned and clean out those windows that always seem to get neglected.
4) Price it correctly. Selecting the correct asking price is critical. If your asking price is too low, you won’t realize enough profit from the sale. Most people selling their homes make the mistake of pricing it out of the market. Many believe that they can take a lower offer if they start out high. Overpricing can greatly limit marketability. The most important factor in selling your home is that it be priced correctly.
A competent real estate is a requirement to make the home selling process efficient, in addition, instead of selling FSBO, you can save 16% on average, which more than makes up for the commission.
It is very difficult to select the right real estate agent. It is yin your best interest to locate an agent who is well-versed in the Lexington South Carolina area. Only hire an agent that is trustworthy. What you want in as agent is someone who can market and sell your home.
For more information on everything dealing with Lexington South Carolina Real Estate visit our website at www.LexingtonSCHomesOnline.com or fill out the following form and I will be in touch with you shortly. |
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REAL Trends: Three of Four Regions Show Increase in Unit Sales |
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REAL Trends: Three or Four Regions Show Increase in Unit Sales
September housing sales showed evidence that the long-awaited floor in housing unit sales has been reached. Unit sales were up 4.9 percent in September 2009 over September 2008 with 3 out of 4 regions showing the best results in year over year comparisions in 4 years. The Northeast had the strongest results with unit sales climbing 9.4 percent over September 2008; the western region continued its run of positive results with unit sales up 7.2 percent and the Southern region up 6.1 percent. Only the Midwest showed year over year declines with unit sales down 3.3 percent.
On the pricing front, the Midwest showed the best results with average prices for all homes sold down 6.8 percent while the Western region continued to suffer the largest price declines with a decrease of 13.2%. Overall the average sold price for all homes was down 9.8 percent that is the best results that have been recorded in the past three years. Price declines in the Northeast were 10.9 percent and average sold prices in the South were 8.9 percent.
"September 2009 results were the best that have been recorded in nearly four years. Unit sales strength was across the board with every region showing improvement in September closings over August 2009 results and over September 2008", said Steve Murray, editor of REAL Trends. "Unit sales have firmed up four months in a row with September enjoying the best results. Price declines are measurably less than they were in the first 8 months of the year with every region showing improvement."
"Near record low interest rates and the the federal and state first time homebuyer tax credit are for the time being doing the job of assisting the housing economy. We do know from brokerage reports that September sales were significantly affected by the pending expiration of the Federal homebuyer tax credit. Should the tax credit be extended then the sales in the 4th quarter of 2009 and the first quarter of 2010 should remain at current levels.
To find out more about the Lexington South Carolina Real Estate market, contact your real estate expert, Charles Still, at (803) 233-7544 or fill out the folling form and someone will be in touch shortly. |
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Is Now The Time To Sell Your Home in Lexington South Carolina by Real Estate Expert Charles Still |
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Is Now The Time To Sell Your Home in Lexington South Carolina by Real Estate Expert Charles Still
Many people are asking if now is a good time to sell your home in the Lexington South Carolina Real Estate Market. With the holidays coming up, many people don’t want their home on the market. There are two main reasons for this. First, they don’t want people coming thru their house during the holidays and second, they don’t feel like there are as many buyers and it will just sit.
Now is a really good time to have your home on the market. Most people have more company over during the holidays and therefore keep their house cleaner so it will naturally show better. While there are fewer buyers during this time of the year, we also see that the buyers that we have are more serious too. When you combine these two things, you see that this really is a good time of the year to put your home on the market.
For information on the sales activity in the Lexington SC area, fill out the following form and someone will be in touch with you shortly.
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How To Sell Your Lexington South Carolina Home At The Highest Possible Price |
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How To Sell Your Lexington South Carolina Home At The Highest Possible Price
To sell you Lexington South Carolina home for the highest possible price, you need to avoid common mistakes! Small mistakes can cost you hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Avoiding these mistakes is easy. Just follow these simple guidelines and you should be able to get the maximum return on your investment.
Distress Selling: At times, selling quickly is unavoidable. That’s when knowing the right techniques to sell your home, without looking desperate and making yourself a target for low bidders, really pays off. Know all there is to know about the Lexington South Carolina real estate market before listing and work hand-in-hand with the right Lexington South Carolina real estate agent. Ensure you are not just settling for the first offer thru the door.
Best Home in the Neighborhood: Your Lexington South Carolina is one of the most personal possessions. Don’t be blind to flaws and needed cosmetic improvements. This will cause overvaluing of the home, hurting its chances to be sold. Listing with the right real estate agent gives you a well-informed third eye that will help you price your home at a fair market price.
Limited Home Viewing: Buyers want to view a home on their own time schedule. Unfortunately their time schedule does not always coincide with yours. Make sure your real estate agent installs an electronic lock box so your home can be shown by other buyer’s agents. You never know if the one who gets away was your next home buyer.
Restrain Emotional Decisions: Don’t allow a few hundred dollars, which would mean very little to you in the long run, ruin a sale. Take a look at the big picture and react rationally. Use sound business judgment! After all, selling your Lexington South Carolina real estate is a business decision.
Make Cosmetic Improvements: Prospects make up their minds within the first few seconds of walking in the front door. First impressions cam make all the difference in selling your home. Spending $1,200 on new carpet might add another $4,000 to the price of your home. Get an objective point of view from your real estate professional. They can provide you with a list of items that will maximize the profitability of your home sale.
Disclose Property Flaws: Property disclosure laws require the seller to list any flaws required by your state. If you are unaware of flaws, or worse, attempt to cover them up, you risk losing the sale and finding yourself in court. Get professional assistance from your real estate agent, who can introduce you to qualified inspectors and ensure a smooth sale of your home.
For Sale By Owner: Most homeowners who decide to sell their own home, do so because they believe they can save the commission paid to the real estate agent. Everything has a price, and selling your home has a high one. The amount of time and effort required to sell a home often surprises the For Sale By Owner. Furthermore, many costly mistakes can be avoided with the right guidance.
Refusing to Trust Your Agent: Would you tell a physician that you’ve decided to run your own tests and come to your own diagnosis? By choosing the right Lexington South Carolina REALTOR®, you can relax and trust their judgment. The right real estate agent is a valuable team member, who will protect your best interests and make the sale of your Lexington South Carolina real estate as profitable as possible.
Know Your Market: Most homes that do not sell in their first listing period are priced too high. Consequently, some homes that sell quickly are priced too low and cheat the homeowner out of profits. You need to understand your market and evaluate the value of your home based on fact, not the gut instinct of conventional wisdom. A professional agent knows and understands the Lexington South Carolina real estate market.
Choosing an Agent Based on Personal Relationships: Home sellers often pick a friend or family member as their agent. Choose an agent with a strong track record and aggressive marketing plan. Professional agents know their market well and can generate many buyers. Selling your Lexington South Carolina home is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make! Base it on good, sound business sense and the rewards will add up.
Before you make one of the most important decisions (who to list your home with) shouldn’t you become as informed as possible? By aligning yourself with a professional agent you ensure that all the significant and seemingly insignificant, (but very important), details are handled professionally. Your home sale should not be a grueling ordeal. And the more informed you are, the better chance you have of making a good sound business decision.
For more information on the Lexington South Carolina home selling process, visit the Lexington South Carolina information website of give Charles Still a call at (803) 233-7544. |
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The Importance of Determining the Right Selling Price for Your Home in Lexington South Carolina |
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Ever heard the phrase “location, location, location”? those three words are often thrown out by Realtors and others as the three primary factors in getting a house sold. There is much truth in that. An alternative would be “location, condition and price.” PRICE IS KING! Ay house, I repeat, any house will sell for the right price. And just what is the right price? The right price is the price that a willing, able and ready buyer will pay in the current market. It is not what an appraisal or comparable market analysis tells you. Of these three factors, the seller has control over two of them; price and condition.
Let’s focus on price. Because of the critical nature of price in getting you house in Lexington SC sold, it is imperative that you get a professional evaluation from an experienced Realtor. He or she can provide you with an honest assessment of your home based on the current market conditions, condition of your home, repairs and improvements needed, and the time frame in which you would like to sell.
Beware. Some Realtors are willing to “buy” your listing, meaning they will give you a price to list your house at that is too high but is pleasing to your ears, even though they know it is little chance of selling for that price. Don’t waste your time.
If your house in Lexington South Carolina is listed too high several things can happen:
- Potential buyers may avoid viewing your house because it is priced out of their price range.
- Your home may simply be used by other Realtors to sell other homes like yours that are more reasonably priced.
- Homes that stay on the market too long risk having that precieved “stale” stigma attached to it. Buyers begin to ask “what’s wrong with this one?” there are exceptions,but that is not unsual.
- Buyers begin to come in with “low ball” offers if your house has been on the market for an extended period of time because they figure you are becoming despriate.
If you are going to test the waters in Lexington South Carolina by listing somewhat high, make sure you have a price reduction schedule in place and are ready to adjust quickly if the market is telling you, either by comments or few showings, that your price is too high.
Homes that are in good condition and priced right from the beginning are going to yield you the best price in the least amount of time, and headaches.
For complete information about the Lexington SC Real Estate market, including current homes for sale, property values and more please visit my website at www.LexingtonSCHomesOnline.com. Please feel free to contact me at
Charles@CharlesStill.com or call me at (803) 233-7544.
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Homes Sales on the Rise |
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From the Wall Street Journal on August 26, 2009:
For more complete information about the Lexington South Carolina Real Estate market, including current homes for sale, property values and more, visit my website at www.LexingtonSCHomesOnline.com
New-home sales climbed more than anticipated in July, staging their fourth straight month of strong gains. Sales of single-family homes increased 9.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 433,000, compared with the prior month. That was the highest number sold since September 2008. Sales in June and May were revised higher.
Earlier, the Commerce Department reported that manufacturers' orders for durable goods jumped 4.9% in July to a seasonally adjusted $168.43 billion. That was the largest increase since 5.4% in July 2007. Orders for June were revised up.
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Deducting Property taxes |
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Are Lexington, SC property taxes deductible?
Property taxes on all real estate, including those levied by state and local governments and school districts, are fully deductible against current income taxes.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 13 August 2008 )
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property taxes - how they work |
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How do property taxes work?
Lexington, SC
Property taxes are what most homeowners in the United States pay for the privilege of owning a piece of real estate, on average 1.5 percent of the property's current market value. These annual local assessments by county or local authorities help pay for public services and are calculated using a variety of formulas.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 July 2008 )
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Are seller-paid points deductible? |
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Are seller-paid points deductible?
As of Jan. 1, 1991, homeowners have been able to deduct points paid by the seller. This deduction previously was reserved only for points actually paid by the buyer.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 July 2008 )
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tips for negotiation |
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What are some tips on negotiation?
The more you know about a seller's motivation, the stronger a negotiating position you are in. For example, seller who must move quickly due to a job transfer may be amenable to a lower price with a speedy escrow. Other so-called "motivated sellers" include people going through a divorce or who have already purchased another home.
Remember, that the listing price is what the seller would like to receive but is not necessarily what they will settle for.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 July 2008 )
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what's seller financing? |
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What is seller financing?
Seller financing is when a seller helps to finance a real estate transaction by taking back a second note or even financing the entire purchase if the seller owns the home free and clear. Usually sellers do this when a buyer has difficulty qualifying for a conventional loan or meeting the purchase price.
Seller financing differs from a traditional loan because the seller does not give the buyer cash to complete the purchase, as does a lender.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 July 2008 )
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two most important factors when selling a home |
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What are the two most important factors when selling a home?
Price and condition are the two most important factors in selling a home, even in a down market. The first step is to price your home correctly. Use comparative sales information from your agent, or pay for a professional appraiser (usually $200 to $300), to objectively evaluate your home's worth. Second, go through the house and repair any obvious cosmetic defects that could deter a buyer.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 July 2008 )
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list vs. sales prices |
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What is the difference between list and sales prices?
The list price is how much a Lexington, SC house is advertised for and is usually only an estimate of what a seller would like to get for the property. The sales price is the amount a property actually sells for. It may be the same as the listing price, or higher or lower, depending on how accurately the property was originally priced and on market conditions.
If you are a seller, you may need to adjust the listing price if there have been no offers within the first few months of the property's listing period.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 July 2008 )
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How does someone sell a slow mover? |
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How does someone sell a slow mover?
Even in a down market, real estate experts say that price and condition are the two most important factors in selling a home.
If you are selling in a slow market, your first step would be to lower your price. Also, go through the Lexington, SC house and see if there are cosmetic defects that you missed and can be repaired.
Secondly, you need to make sure that the home is getting the exposure it deserves through open houses, broker open houses, advertising, good signage, and listings on the local multiple listing service (MLS) and on the Internet.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 July 2008 )
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