an ongoing conversation place for everything real estate

Omaha Wooded Retreat on TODAY Show!

If you watched the TODAY show last Friday morning you may have been surprised to see a home here in Omaha was chosen as one of just a handful of properties shown on the recurring segment by Barbara Corcoran, “What Can You Buy for Under $500k”? In case you missed it, click the previous link to view.

This awesome wooded retreat is one of my listings and I am pleased to announce that the home is now Pending! The soon-to-be owners are thrilled with the exposure and have sent the link across the country to all of their out of town friends and family to see their new home on National TV!

Marketing a home in today’s market is vastly different than when I first got into the business many years ago. Our marketing used to consist of ‘putting a sign in the yard and an ad in the paper’. Then just hope for the best! In today’s marketplace, it takes a lot more than that to properly market a home.

My marketing plan consists of attacking all possible avenues to expose your home (properly) to anyone and everyone who may be interested in it. The TODAY show segment was about six weeks of work but definitely worth it!

While I certainly can’t guarantee national TV exposure, I can tell you that we can no longer just ‘put a house on the market’ and expect results. Contact Bill Swanson today if you are thinking of making a move in the near future for a no-cost analysis of your home!  Or feel free to answer a few brief questions and get an online market analysis too!

Don’t forget the changes and enhancements to the tax credit! Repeat Homeowners may be able to qualify for a $6,500 tax credit instead of only qualifying first time homebuyers who are still eligible for up to an $8,000 tax credit.

Bill Swanson is an agent with over 20 years of experience with CBSHome Real Estate, an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway.

Many sellers have often started to do their research by looking at other homes that are for sale.  When they find out that the ranch down the street is for sale they run down to the open house on Sunday to discover in horror that it is the same price that their agent just told them that they would put their home on the market for in a couple of weeks.

But your two- story home is in much better shape, with more square footage, not to mention the fact that you have upgraded all of the appliances, and there isn’t a spec of dirt… you think to yourself.

So why is that house listed at the same price?  First of all, as an experienced real estate agent we must only compare apples to apples.  Since your home is a two story home and this is a ranch I would explain to you that we must look at the two story homes in the area that have sold recently to find where your home value should be, and that the ranch down the street has done the same.  You may say that the two story about 5 miles away sold for over $250,000, but I will explain to you why that isn’t going to help you sell your home.

Realtor.com does a good job explaining:

If a house exactly like yours – same size, same age, same condition – on the other side of town is selling for $200,000, don’t think you’re made in the shade at the same price. A host of things in your own neighborhood can affect your home’s price – the quality of schools, the crime rate, or the street you live on. For instance, you may have a stellar home, but if it’s on a busy street, its value will undoubtedly be less than a comparable home on a road less traveled. Potential rezoning of adjacent areas also can affect comps: If that lovely forest behind your home is due to become a sea of condominiums, your home’s value is likely to be less than a similar home that will retain its forest view.

If you truly want that SOLD sign in your yard, trust your real estate agent to give you a quality comparative analysis of the homes that have sold in the last six months in your area.  This will tell you where you should list your home because it shows the successes and the failures over the last six months.  Do you want to be a success- then give me a call to help put that SOLD sign in your yard! Stephanie Mathis 578-6308

With more homes on the market to compete with your home for sale, why not work with the Leading Real Estate Company in the Omaha Metro area who can give you a better opportunity to sell your home?  

CBSHOME’s Agents are equipped with a comprehensive library of marketing and advertising tools.  Ranging from internet advertising to print advertising; direct mail to e-mail blasts; social media support to mobile website; virtual tours to professional photography.  It’s all available to showcase your listing. Plus, each Agent brings his/her own Real Estate knowledge and expertise to even further enhance the process of marketing your home.

Visit cbshome.com to find an agent who will work hard for you!