Bev Murray Real Estate

It's certainly true that during the busy season in Sarasota, both the volume of closings and the number of potential buyers in town are higher, in fact in some years the population of southwest Florida can rise by as much as 22%, which has a big impact in the volume of real estate transactions in our areas.

So how should sellers approach selling their home outside if it's not in season?

In short, be fully prepared and have your home in great shape for selling.

While season maybe be the busiest time, the real estate market in Sarasota and the barrier islands remains fairly strong all year. During season, many snowbird home buyers are likely to own a home in another part of the country and may be looking for a second home rather than a primary residence, however that is only one type of buyer in our area. The Sarasota area market also has many people relocating from other areas from outside our region to live here year-round. Additionally plenty of locals are looking to buy new home – either moving to a more convenient location, up-sizing or simplify by downsizing, and local moves are not seasonally dependent either. The end result of this diversity of home buyers in the Sarasota market is that owners can be successful selling their home any time of year.

Despite the differences in total volume between in-season and out of season transaction, the most important factor for deciding when the best time to sell your home is that the homeowner is genuinely ready to sell the home.

Preparing Your Home To Compete With Other Re-sales And New Construction

One of the true benefits for home buyers looking Sarasota is the wide variety of areas that each have their own character. Sarasota neighborhoods vary from older historic areas with an eclectic mix of styles that are very close to town, to ultra modern condos, to gated communities with newly constructed homes. This is great for the home buyer but can offer challenges for sellers.

Do not forget to check on the storm shutters

Homeowners selling in older, more established areas are usually located closer to the center of town, but they must compete with newly built homes with up to date features. Bringing an older home more up to date can really help.

Below are several ways homeowners can make sure their property is ready to sell quickly no matter the time of year.

Make Your Home Look Fresh!

Relatively simple projects can have a big impact on how fast you sell your home. Right now many people prefer open airy more modern looks with clean lines, while older homes may never really look modern a fresh coat of paint using lighter brighter colors can go a long way. Lighter neutral colors tend to make a space feel larger, more open and cleaner than some of the “Mediterranean” color schemes popular not so long ago. Pressure cleaning the exterior of the home can go a long way to make the overall appearance more fresh.

Be sure to replace old address numbers, old mail boxes, lawn ornaments - be sure gutters are in good shape, and the landscaping is trimmed neatly, remove anything that can be considered cluttered and try to make the home as light and open as possible. The home should have a more inviting look and stronger curb appeal. Homes that show better are far more likely to sell fast.

Consider Updating Surfaces

Sellers of older homes in desirable locations should consider updating the interior surfaces. Replacing the flooring, bathroom tile and kitchen surfaces with newer more up to date designs can not only help the house sell faster, but get more money as well. More modern homes feature solid materials such as wood, glass, ceramic tile, and even polished concrete and today’s home buyers are preferring cleaner more modern looks to traditional warm tones.

Don’t Forget The Outdoors - Enhance Beauty and Privacy with Landscaping

photo credit: GreenTech Tree And Landscape

Take Advantage Of Our Climate With Lush Landscaping. In addition to being beautiful, well-planned landscaping can create private areas outdoors, help keep energy bills down and add loads of curb appeal. Buyers from northern climates will especially appreciate the palm trees and tropical shrubs we can grow here. Smaller homes can add living space by adding shaded areas outdoors with outdoor furniture.

Make Sure Needed Repairs Are Made

Items like painting, and pressure cleaning may seem common sense to some, it can be easy for a homeowner to overlook other important items. If your home uses well water, be sure that your water pressure is very good, and that your water softener is clean and good repair too. A savvy home buyer will check on the well water system. If your home's central air conditioning system is old, have a company come out and give the system a tune-up. Before listing your home review the condition of the roof - a roof that is older and in less than perfect shape may have a home buyer thinking of the cost of re-roofing the home. Having the roof in good repair and all mold stains cleaned off will be important. If your lawn has bare spots, weed intrusion or insect pests this should fixed as well, as a lawn in poor shape will significantly reduce curb appeal. For waterfront homes, be sure any dock, seawall or boat lift are all in good repair. Pool owners should make sure the pumps, filtration system and decking are all in good shape. A pool can be a real selling point, but if it looks old and in bad shape it will be an added expense for the new owners. We live in a hurricane prone area, so be sure all storm shutters are accounted for and are organized and in good working order.

Choose The Right Agent To Sell Your Home

For the best chance at selling your home quickly and for bringing the best price, you will need more than amazing curb appeal. Having an experienced real estate agent that is familiar with the neighborhood your home is located in is also essential.

Homes In Neighborhoods Like Phillippi Creek Can Have Vastly Different Values.

Often even neighborhoods that run right up to each other can have vastly different price ranges, amenities and very different sets of likely buyers. Having an agent that understands your home’s value and how it fits into the wider marketplace will be crucial in making sure that your home is priced correctly. Updated homes in older neighborhoods can be especially tricky to price, and it can be easy to go too high and fail to sell quickly, or go too low and miss out on the full value.

The right Realtor can take the stress out of selling your house, ensuring a smooth process that gets you the full value of your property and into your new home quickly.

If you are thinking of placing your home for sale, contact Bev Murray for a full market analysis and take the first step in