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5 reasons to use a Realtor® when listing your house

We are often asked why someone should use a Realtor® when putting their home on the market.  Probably the most-often heard argument is this:  “I can just sell it myself FSBO and save a ton of money!”  There are several important things to consider when listing your home, and listing with a licensed real estate agent makes all the sense in the world.  It’s no secret, but every homeowner wants pretty much the same things out of a house sale- they want to sell the property (obviously), the want to sell it for the best possible price, they want to sell it with the least amount of hassle and inconvenience, and they want to sell it within a certain time frame.  Sound about right?So, why list with a real estate agent?

  1. Realtors® are trained professionals.  You use professionals for many aspects of your life; bankers, builders, repairmen, stockbrokers, educators, etc.  Why take a chance when it comes to one of your most important investments?  Use a skilled and objective negotiator in what can be an emotionally-charged experience.
  2. Real estate agents have access to the vast majority of available buyers! According to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) 2016 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report, 87% of all buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker.
  3. Experienced agents, like Cami Jones Collaborative, bring pricing expertise, negotiating skills, and market access to the table- and can often land you a higher selling price as a result. They know the ins and outs of the local market, what it will bear and what the comps are. Pricing right is everything!
  4. In a hot market like we’re seeing this spring- we are seeing many homes with multiple full-price offers on Day 1.  Amid a flurry of activity, you win when you have a professional managing multiple offers and buyers.
  5. Exposure- you want your home to have maximum exposure to as many potential buyers as possible.  This exposure includes professional marketing (online and offline) materials, hosted open houses, and regular communication with buyers’ agents.

Let our team help you!  We make the listing process easy and will have you on the road to selling your beautiful home in no time!  Give us a call today!  You can reach Cami Jones at 913.206.2410.

What is “lack of inventory” and what does it mean to you?

The lack of available real estate inventory poses a challenge but it can be a good thing, depending on what side of the transaction you find yourself!  The Kansas City real estate market has been very hot, often resulting in multiple offers on Day 1, and many sellers find themselves receiving OVER asking price with no contingencies attached. A hot market is typically good news for sellers:  inventory is low, and competition is high.On the flip side, homebuyers will be up against a lot of other people vying for the same piece of property, and up against a short supply of existing homes.  Also, first-time buyers in high-demand areas may find that their best offer is beaten out by cash buyers and investors.  Use an experienced real estate agent (like any one of us on the Cami Jones Collaborative!) to help you get a handle on the market and look over what’s available.  You will need to decide where you can or can’t (or aren’t willing to) compromise.  Remember, finishes and appliances and paint colors are easy to change, location isn’t.  (Read our previous post for tips on buying!)As a buyer, you’ll want to get your financing lined up so you don’t waste any time in a hot market.  Once you find the house…be ready to pull the trigger with your offer! And be ready to offer without contingencies.  In a hot market, sellers will likely take the cleanest offer:  the one with no contingencies, the one with the most money down and the one offering the quickest (or most preferable) closing date.Above all, be flexible and be patient!  Your dream house awaits, it’s just a matter of time.  Good luck!  Call us today and let us help you sell and find your next home!  

3 resources for residential sellers and buyers

 Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your lifetime.  We strive to deliver unparalleled customer service from the first contact you have with us until you are well settled into your new home!  Cami Jones Collaborative has a team of real estate professionals ready to help you; whether you are buying, selling, or both. Don’t just take our word for it– read what some of our past clients have to say!We have three key resources that will make your life easier and hope that you’ll take advantage of one or all of them.

  • For starters, you’ll want to install our mobile app!  It makes searching for homes a breeze and you can set custom alerts to keep you in the know at all times.  Click here for mobile app installation.
  • If you’re on the front end of selling, or are just curious about the market value of your home, you can click here to easily get an estimate of your home’s value.  Maybe you didn’t realize what your home was worth…and that “step up” neighborhood isn’t out of reach after all!  You can also obtain a customized neighborhood Market Trends Report to see what things are moving for in your area.
  • Here is a link to our Property Search tool- you can search by geography, school district, zip code, neighborhood, etc.  We are experts in the Kansas City-area real estate market, so whether you are looking north of the river or in western Shawnee, we can help.

 

What are Comps and how do they help determine house value?

Whether you find yourself buying or selling a home, neighborhood Real Estate Comps are a very important and useful tool.  “Comps” refers to comparable sales, and they are used by agents and appraisers to determine the value of a house.  The value of properties currently on the market along with properties that have sold in the past helps bring into focus the value of a house.When you use a licensed real estate agent like someone from Cami Jones & Co, she will have access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is a database of all the properties in a given area that have been listed “for sale,” are in process of being sold (pending,) have a contingent offer or have previously sold.  This is one of the many benefits gained when using a Realtor® to facilitate your real estate transaction.When reviewing Comps, we will take into account homes that have a similar size, condition, and location.  This way, we are comparing “apples to apples.”  The reasoning here is that your home is worth whatever others would be willing to pay for it — what the market bears — and the best way to determine this is to see what others have paid for similar homes.Keep in mind that every house is different, so you add or subtract from the fair market value to account for features and finishes that make the home more or less desirable to potential buyers even if size, condition, and location are pretty much equal.If you’re looking to sell and want to get a handle on what your home is worth, please contact us!  We are Kansas City’s real estate experts and would love to help!

4 reasons to use a Realtor® when selling your house

We are often asked why someone should use a Realtor® when putting their home on the market.  Probably the most often heard argument is this:  “I can just sell it myself FSBO and save a ton of money!”  There are several important things to consider when listing your home, and listing with a real estate agent makes all the sense in the world.  It’s no secret, but every homeowner wants pretty much the same things out of a house sale- they want to sell the property (obviously), they want to sell it for the best possible price, they want to sell it with the least amount of hassles and inconvenience, and they want to sell it within a certain time frame.  Sound about right?So, why list with a real estate agent?

  1. Realtors® are trained professionals.  You use professionals for many aspects of your life; bankers, builders, repairmen, stockbrokers, educators, etc.  Why take a chance when it comes to one of your most important investments?  Use a skilled and objective negotiator in what can be an emotionally-charged experience.
  2. Real estate agents have access to the vast majority of available buyers! According to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) recently released 2016 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report, 87% of all buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker.
  3. Experienced agents, like Cami Jones Collaborative, bring pricing expertise, negotiating skills, and market access to the table- and can often land you a higher selling price as a result. They know the ins and outs of the local market, what it will bear and what the comps are. Pricing right is everything!
  4. Exposure- you want your home to have maximum exposure to as many potential buyers as possible.  This exposure includes professional marketing (online and offline) materials, hosted open houses, and regular communication with buyers’ agents.

Let our team help you!  We make the listing process easy and will have you on the road to selling your beautiful home in no time!  Give us a call today!  You can reach Cami Jones at 913.521.8883