Selling a home in Steamboat Springs in 2017 seemed easy for some, and tenuous for others. Our market had a really good season up to Thanksgiving. Then, as most Winters, the market went flat as thoughts of skiing, holidays and Winter events took over the thoughts of most of us.
In December, year over year, the number of active listings was 1/3 the prior year. That’s a good year for selling. This year, 2018, it looks different. With rising interest rates and new construction occurring, a new dynamic is in place for our local market.
Here’s a few things that will make your home not sell, or take longer to sell, in this year’s market:
1) Choosing a non-proactive real estate broker – Not all brokers are made equal. Many have specializations, and many have taken the time to increase their skill set and get higher qualifications, like Resort Home Specialist, Certified Residential Expert, and more. And some brokers have taken Ninja Selling, which is oriented on accurate, proactive advisory and sales. Clues your broker might not be the right one is not having a good listing presentation, a minimal marketing plan, or doesn’t return your phone call in a timely manner.
2) Not staging your home – Many families living in their homes in Steamboat have to keep items for living about the house. This is normal and natural. What we have seen is that there are many items that are not used on a daily basis that can be removed, or stored, so that the home looks more open. It is very important for a buyer to be able to envision their own belongings in the home. If a broker can help a Buyer do this, it makes their Steamboat dream come more alive and your unit more desirable.
3) Having an obsolesced home – This means, your home is older and not updated. The homes in Steamboat that are most desired are new or updated units. Since many buyers are from out of town, they are looking for living spaces that do not need to be renovated.
4) Showings are hard to do – this means that the agents who want to show your home have a difficult time making an appointment. The sellers I run into who have this trait are often living in their homes, or have homes that are consistently rented through Air BnB or other service. When home buyers want to see a unit, making it easy to view goes a long way.
5) Having too much pride of ownership – this, in simple terms, means your home is priced too high. Though we are in an up market, it is still difficult for most brokers to sell a unit that is out of it’s price range of value. Over pricing because you love your home is a valid reason to price as you choose. If you want to sell, listen to your broker’s words of wisdom or you may be waiting a long time for a your new life to begin.
These are tips for my local market, though I am pretty sure other brokers and Sellers have found some wisdom that fits their local markets. Selling your home in a reasonable amount of time has to do with how you set the home up as a place where a new buyer can envision themselves living there.