Selling Sarasota Real Estate in a Reasonable Amount of Time
What factors influence the amount of time it takes to find a buyer ?
Posted June 02, 2007
When listing your Sarasota home for sale, ask your Realtor® for the average sales time for homes in your
particular neighborhood. It does vary from one neighborhood to the next. The question then bcomes, "What can be done to speed up the time it takes to
attract a buyer?." And the answer is "plenty." There are really 3 main factors that affect the actual Sarasota real estate marketing time
:
Price is probably the single biggest factor. If the condition of your Sarasota property is equal to
others currently for sale in your neighborhood, and you're offering comparable terms, you can expect that it will sell in about the
average amount of time your Realtor® suggested. If you want or need it sell it more quickly, you may want to
consider adjusting your price downward slightly to present "a better value" to prospective buyers. Sarasota real estate buyers do some
comparison shopping and if they will perceive greater value in your home, even it is priced just
slightly below the price suggested by a Comparative Market Analysis, they'll be tempted to make an offer.
Terms offered are another factor which can be adjusted to attract buyers. If your
home is priced at "market value", you may consider offering to pay a portion of the buyer's closing costs.
By doing so, you reduce the amount of down payment a buyer will need and attract more first-time buyers. You may offer to include some
of the major appliances if they are in excellent condition. Here again, you'll be assisting those first ime buyers who might otherwise have to cover the
costs of buying new appliances for their first home. Your Sarasota Realtor® can suggest other "terms" which may attract buyers in your specific
locale or even a whole new group of potential buyers.
The Condition of your home alone can sometimes prompt a faster buying decision from an
anxious buyer, concerned that your home or condo will be "snapped up" because it is so desirable. Consider investing in
attractive and currently popular upgrades and cosmetic improvements before putting it on the market. A good place to
start is its "curb appeal" -- a fresh coat of paint, a flawless roof and some neat landscaping can do wonders.
Inside your home, the biggest condition-change payoff is often in the kitchen and baths. Consider replacing
"tired looking" kitchen appliances, flooring and countertops. De-clutter your coutertops by placing appliances in closets or cabinets making the kitchen seem larger. If magnets have damaged the front of your refrigerator, apply a fresh coat of
porcelein paint to dress it up.
Make your bathrooms more attractive. Above all, scrub the tub and shower stall until they sparkle. Again, de-cluttering is important.
if the room looks dated, consider adding a new sink, faucets and countertop or maybe a pedestal sink in a half-bath. If the flooring isn't in perfect condiiton, add modern tile.
A home that sparkles displays your pride of ownership and that alone can instill confidence in a propsective buyer and
trigger an quicker sale.
The key, to a shorter selling time on Sarasota real estate is to offer a unique set of benefits
to your prospective buyers. While Price, Condition and Terms are not the only factors, they are surely among the most
important factors. Ask your Sarasota Florida Realtor® for advice if a quicker than average sale is your goal.
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