**SPONSORED CONTENT BY VALERIE HUNTER-KELLY**
1. HGTV CHANGES EVERYTHING.
Information changes everything and nothing has changed real estate like HGTV. What use to be ‘good enough’ isn’t any more. The home buying consumer sees more and wants more and nobody does a better job of making it look easy to find, easy to acquire and easy to make perfect. As the supply of housing continues to grow and the demand for housing continues to remain stable, the consumer has more choices than ever…and if you are a seller…the competition for home buyers becomes greater. So when you think of selling your home, think like HGTV and remember presentation and price are the largest part of the sale…make it look great and price it aggressively.
2. THE LAW OF PHYSICS APPLIES TO REAL ESTATE
One of the laws of physics tells us that what goes up must come down…gravity and all that. The same applies in real estate. Properties go up in price and they come down in price. There are no guarantees that the largest financial investment you may ever make in your life will sell for more than you paid for it. If it does you may still have to ’come to the closing table’ with money. The new reality is that there is no assurance of quick equity, inflating values and ‘profitable’ sales. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid buying a home. Like a work of art, you buy because you love it and it is the right time and place for you to secure your piece of the future. Find a great agent who will work with you, answer your questions, listen to your concerns and recognize that housing is first and foremost your shelter from the ravaging travails of the world, a place of refuge for your soul and sanctuary for your imagination.
3. IS IT LOCATION OR LIFESTYLE?
Historically the adage has been ‘location, location, location’, but today it’s just as likely to be ‘lifestyle, lifestyle, lifestyle’. What once was old is new again. ‘Living over the store’ once meant your world was confined to a small plot of land and going to work consisted of commuting down the stairs. Today’s generations consider the ability to live, work and play all within a short commute and housing that requires minimum maintenance as a valuable asset, for which they will pay generously. For the active and adventurous, housing must accommodate the lifestyle, not dictate it.
4. BUY LOW – SELL HIGH—AND ADD VALUE IN-BETWEEN
The secret to successful real estate transactions comes in the purchase, not in the sale. Buying at the right price makes many things possible. Find an agent who is not afraid to negotiate on your behalf and help you acquire your real estate at the best price possible in the marketplace. Over the lifetime of your ownership, add value. Keep your property maintained, make improvements that enhance the appearance and functionality of your home, remember great presentation supports your asking price when it’s time to sell.
5. HIRE THE RIGHT AGENT.
It makes all the difference. How do you know? You know. Someone who will listen to you, share the marketplace realities with you, advise you with practical advice and who can and will communicate with you in a way that you can understand and will place your interest above their own. Even when the news is not pleasant or what you expect, you have a right to know the facts. Interview several agents and remember that experience is not the only indicator of a successful agent…satisfied clients are a good indicator.
Valerie Hunter-Kelly is team leader of the Air Assault Team, a part of Keller-Williams Realty.
To buy a home, click here: www.airassaults.com
To sell a home, click here: www.virginhomesellers.com