Top Six Reasons to sell your house in December by Shelley Hopkins

Top six reasons to sell your house in December

 

• 1      Inventory is low.  There is a myth that homes don’t sell this time of year, so fewer homes are on the market.  We still have plenty of buyers, and these buyers are finding themselves in multiple offer situations!  The buyers are loosing out because of too many offers.
• 2      There are fewer homes on the market right now in the popular $250,000 – $350,000 price range.  We have many buyers searching in that range right now.
• 3      Many homes are nicely decorated for the holidays. Holiday smells and decorations are very inviting to people looking at homes.  It helps them to imagine living there. 
• 4      Kids are out of school, and the buyer can see children out playing.  It gives life to the neighborhood.
• 5      Less competition for your home.  This is really a repeat of reason #1, but it is the most important.  You can compete against many homes in the spring and summer, or compete against fewer homes in the winter.  People still need to buy homes at each season of the year.
• 6      In Charleston, it is actually better weather for house hunting when the temperature is cooler.  Our fall and winter is quite comfortable.  Our summers are hot and sticky.  Just something to think about!

So, to review:  If you are planning on selling your home soon, now is better than later.  People are out looking at homes, and the inventory is low.  Houses are getting multiple offers, which is good for the seller.  Give me a call, or send me a private message if you want to learn more.  I can give you tips for getting your home ready for the market, as well as give you an idea of the value of your home. 

Shelley Hopkins

843-749-3506

Shelley.hopkins@cbunited.com

Less is more, it is good to edit!

I have been reading a lot about house photography, and one post really interested me. The writer mentioned staging a room for a photo shoot, saying you don't need to add things to a room, but instead it is better to take things away. Less is more. Just like writing, editing is the key. With fewer objects in the picture, or words on the page, the real story comes out. Wonder if that is true in life as well. Of course I believe it is, simpler is better, and direct focus on the important is more fulfilling than just stuffing life with, well, stuff.

We live in our homes, and fairly quickly we begin to not see, not notice how the home looks.  We become so attached to the beautiful items we bought on that special vacation, or the family treasures passed down from grandma, that we don’t see how cluttered the shelves and walls can be.  My daughter collects dolls, and she is attached to each and every one.  She displays all her dolls on her dresser, and there are so many unblinking eyes staring at me when I enter the room I see nothing else.  I wish she would choose a few special dolls to display at a time.

 Editing is hard; writers become attached to every word they lovingly place on the page.  As a photographer, I have a special attachment to each photo I snap.  If I shared every photo on social media, no one would ever take the time to look.  It is hard to edit, hard to put away.  Perhaps it is the same with our homes, hard to edit and hard to put away.  Just remember the goal in real estate is to sell the house for what you want and as quickly as you wish. A little editing now can make the outcome better. 

I plan to put this idea into motion not only for my real estate photography, my nature photography, and also in my day-to-day life.  Less is more.  Clutter is clutter, whether in life, art or work.

What is most important in Real Estate listings?

Pictures are important!

The view is an important part of a home

When you are searching for a home, what do you want to see?  Of course price and neighborhood information are important, details like number of bedrooms and bathrooms are usually high on the list.  Many people search for homes on the internet, and can easily set the search parameters to limit homes to the preferred price range, size of home and location.  The most important item that seems to set home listings apart is photographs.  Good photographs are important.  A listing can't have enough photos, images that let the searcher know what the inside of the home looks like, the yard and also the neighborhood.  It never hurts to have pictures of the views from the windows.  The searcher wants to really get a feel for the home before scheduling time to visit the home.  If the agent takes a few shaky shots from her cell phone house hunters won't be impressed.  Listings that don't show the inside of the home worry people, they wonder what could be wrong with that property.

Show the bathrooms, but be sure they are clean like this one

 Show how the house flows, such as this picture that includes kitchen dining room and living room

Show the size of the rooms, and how light enters from windows and doors

Home size, is bigger better?

The average size home has grown from the 1950’s to now, with an increase from 983 square feet in 1950 to 1660 square feet in 1970 to 2500 square feet in 2010.  The average size family has shrunk, from 3.01 family members in 1973 to 2.5 people in 2010.  Our expectations of the proper size home have grown as well.  Most people I talk to feel like their kids each need their own bedroom, and no one can imagine living in a home with only one bathroom. 

For a year my husband lived in a camper, and for a short time three of us plus one large dog shared that 280 square foot space.  It was actually very cozy.  Our teenager could be reading in her loft area, my husband might be watching television in the living area, and I could enjoy my book while resting in the bed.   At the same time I could see and chat with each family member.  We had only a few outfits per person, but we found places to stack our books.  We spent more time away from home or outside, but we did enjoy cozy evenings together with music or television.  Cleaning was easy, but we had to carry our laundry to the laundry mat.  We only bought groceries for a day or two at a time, and we mostly ate outside.  I loved that part of the camper living.  This life was the hardest on the dog because we were in a campground that required dogs to be leashed at all times.  We walked often, but she was always on the leash.  Inside the camper her movements were restricted due to space.  I remember visiting family and the dog racing up and down the hallways of the ranch house, enjoying the freedom to move. 

After a summer in the camper we rented a two-bedroom apartment.  We felt like we had won a space lottery.  Both bedrooms had bathrooms, and walk in closets. The apartment was about 900 square feet.  We did not know what to do with all that space, but our dog did.  Again, she spent a few days just running around, from one bedroom to the next.  The apartment more than doubled our living space, we had a full size refrigerator, and large kitchen.  We could eat inside, then hang out in separate bedrooms.  In some ways that was better, especially for our teenage daughter.

In the camper we had one weekend with our entire family, husband and wife, three kids and one son in law all sleeping in the tiny space.  It was extremely cozy.  We ate out, we toured the local areas and we sat outside often at our picnic table.  We all had space to sleep, aided with the couch and a set of chairs that turned into beds.  For a vacation it was fine.  The secret is to always put away everything, and to wake up at the same time, turning all beds back into living space.  Each person would have to do his or her part to keep the small space clean and uncluttered. 

We are now in a 2500 square foot home, so I guess we have covered all the trends in our lifetime.  We have space for all our junk, and our items we believe to be necessary.  We can entertain company easily; we have a nice kitchen and even a separate room for dining.  One Christmas we had 11 people sleeping in our home, and only a few of them had to sleep on the floor.  I feel like we are fairly adaptable, making both smaller and larger living spaces work.  We have lived in a 3 bedroom, one bathroom apartment, as well as a large older 4-bedroom home with no master bathroom. 

Like many people I don’t like the trend of the giant homes on tiny lots.  I wonder if people would prefer larger homes to quality built smaller spaces.  When everyone seems to live in these large homes that include playrooms, man caves, sunrooms, master bedrooms the size of small apartments and numerous walk in closets, it is hard to imagine being happy in anything less.  Our parents generally lived in 1500 square foot ranch homes, many without air conditioning, sometimes with only one bathroom.  Many of us grew up sharing bedrooms with our siblings, and I imagine most of us played outside more, rode bikes more, and spent more time in the company of other people than this generation does.  It seems what is valued most right now is personal space and privacy.  The question is, what have we gained, and what have we lost?

How do you see this trend?  What do you prefer for living space?

Lifestyle Centric

House hunting is extremely personal.  We all have our general fuzzy feelings of what the word “home” means.  Some people want woods and shade; others want elegance or a warm and cozy feel.  There are the folks that follow trends and only want the most up to date styles, while others look for a home with good bones that can be made into their own.  Everyone has a price point, what they can afford and are willing to spend, and most folks have a need for the home to be a wise investment.

            I read recently that the modern homebuyer is “lifestyle centric.”  They are looking for a home in a community that allows the lifestyle they want.  This can include neighborhoods with pools and walking trails, or close distance to restaurants and entertainment. 

Walking trail in local neighborhood

            When my husband and I look for a house, I always have in mind my love of gardening.  I want tons of shade trees and privacy, but I need a large sunny area to grow my tomatoes and cucumbers.  Choosing the right home determines whether I can grow some of my own food, and yet we spend so much time looking at bedrooms and kitchens.  We have lived far from the city, causing my husband to have a long commute.  We have lived in a tiny town near work, but with little in the way of parks or restaurants.  Each home affects lifestyle and opportunity, and that can be a scary thing in house hunting.  Right now we have a home closer to work but also closer to noise.  We have plenty of shade trees, but not great gardening spots. 

Tiny garden - tiny yields - big taste

            I read today about two different trends for homebuyers, between city and suburban lifestyles.  Each trend has its defenders and its positive aspects, as well as its specific problems.

            Suburbs are communities away from a city or town center.  They are collections of homes and neighborhoods, often further away from jobs and shopping.  City dwellers are closer to those necessities, but with a higher price point for less space.  The debate is which is better for community and health for those living in them. 

            One researcher said, ”When you do surveys, people in the suburbs generally know their neighbors more, they vote more, they’re more involved in their communities because they’re generally homeowners.  In my neighborhood we know our neighbors and it’s very diverse – and a lot of people don’t want to give that up.”   (Joel Kotkin).

            So, which is better?  Emily Badger wrote in a Washington Post blog that suburbs are killing us.  “…data has shown that car accidents are more frequent and deadly in the suburban cul-de-sac pattern than in an urban street grid...a study found that more compact and connected cities are strongly correlated with reduced rates of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.”

            Perhaps the answer can be found in the mixed-use communities, in which a small village is recreated.  The neighborhood or community includes single family homes, attached homes, restaurants, parks and shops.  The idea is that the neighborhood includes all aspects of the typical small town, and the people living there never have to leave.  Families can walk or bike to activities and live a calmer, healthier lifestyle. 

            Of course, any choice is only good if the homeowner takes advantage of the amenities.  Many people that live in these mixed-use communities still drive to shopping outside of the community because prices are lower with more options.  Biking and walking take time and energy.  People who live in these mixed-use communities also give up some freedoms, as the homeowners associations are usually more restrictive.  People in suburbs have more quiet, but often are found inside watching tv.  People in cities have many walking options, but often not the time.

            Since house hunting is so personal, we should each have a list of what is important to us, a list of things we know we will care about and not a list of trends or what is hot at the moment.  Only the person buying the house can really know what “fuzzy image” constitutes a home for them. 

In other words, buy the house you want, not the one your parents, friends, internet buddies, or even your realtor wants.