Homebuyer Tip #1 from The CT Home Blog. What do you do when...

What do you do when you go see a home and the seller is there during your visit?

Plainly put? You can say three things to the seller: Hello, thank you, and goodbye.  NOTHING ELSE! I  learned something very valuable a number of years ago that I would like to share with you. You can COST yourself a lot of money by talking to the seller. I hate to say it, but it's true. The only time you should ever compliment a homeowner on their property during a showing,  is  if you are not interested in buying the property.

Go on and on about how nice the home is to the seller, and put in an offer? NOT A GOOD IDEA! Smart sellers will not negotiate as much, because they know they don't have to. We were all taught that it's very polite to give an honest compliment, and I believe you should in almost every instance, EXCEPT when you are buying your  home. If you want to tell the seller how much you love their home AFTER we've negotiated, that's fine. It doesn't cost you any money at that point.

I always advise my buyer clients to not even ask questions of the seller during the showing. Tell me what you want to know, and I will ask. The fine art of obtaining basic information from a seller in a conversational way is best. So leave the questions to your real estate agent, (That's me!)  and you very well may be  saving yourself thousands of dollars!

What should you do with your pet during a home showing?

When an agent is showing your home to prospective buyers, you want all conditions to be as favorable and friendly as possible. We all love our pets, but we all know people who are not animal lovers. Suppose your prospective buyer is afraid of dogs?  Trust me, they will be way too nervous to look at your home and think about buying it, when all they can think of is ,"I hope that dog doesn't bite me".

People can get very nervous around cats, too. I've had dogs, and I've had cats, too. No problem with me,  but I do remember one seller client that  I had a number of years ago, who had a pretty vicious cat. A very experienced agent who was only previewing the home, called me in utter panic from her cell phone, and told me that the cat had cornered her. She  shrieked on the phone for me to come save her. I still have a very solid visual of that event.  I walked into the house, and saw the agent literally shaking with fear while she was standing on a chair. I did  all I could not to laugh, and it really wasn't funny at all to her. She was truly scared. No matter how harmless you know  your pet is, please remember there is always someone who is petrified of that pet.  And, no..  that agent never stepped foot in that house again. She was a very good agent,, too. My client lost an opportunity with all of HER prospective buyers. So yes, some agents are afraid of animals, too. Don't risk losing a showing because of it.

Some people are so allergic to animals that they couldn't step in your house without bringing an epi-pen, Well, they won't be prospects for your home, but many people do have allergies to dander and will be uncomfortable minutes or hours after they see your home.  So, do two things religiously if you have a cat or dog in your home, and it's on the market. 1) Remove the pet from the house before showings- that could mean putting your pet downstairs in the cellar for a short time, outside on a leash, removing the pet altogether from the premises, or putting your pet in a crate. 2) If your pet sheds, make sure you vacuum more than usual, so as not to distract an allergic buyer.

What's happening in the Fairfield County CT Real Estate Market?

I am pleased to present to you our real estate market forecasts and advice for the coming months in Easton, Fairfield, Norwalk, Trumbull and Westport.  As you'll see, not all markets are created equal. Just so you know, I am not, nor have I ever been one to sugarcoat the market, or give anyone advice that I do not think is prudent. You do not stay in business for 26+ years by doing anything other than what is proper.

Yes, some of you will say, "She's spot on. I definitely agree. She definitely knows the market ",  and I understand some of you will not like my forecast, or my advice. I only disseminate the information that I have in what I hope is a meaningful way. Everyone's situation is different, and each property is different. The only truly relevant market forecast for you only pertains to your home. So don't let anyone generalize the market in Connecticut, for example, and tell you that it is true. Markets differ from town to town, street to street, and house to house.

The forecasts and  opinions offered are mine. Technically they are general to the town,  and not to your specific property. So if you want to know what the market is for your house, contact me and find out!

Market Forecasts and Predictions coming soon!

Hi everyone, thanks for your overwhelming support! A few of you, independent of one another, have asked  for my predictions for the real estate market in Fairfield County, and I will be happy to offer my opinions. I will be posting them in the individual town blogs here, and will let you know at The CT Home Blog when I do. You can expect to hear back on  my forecasts by the end of the week!

How long does it take to actually close on a home?

If you have been trying to decide what to do, as far as buying a new home,or selling your existing one, here are some ways to see whether the timing is a good decision for you to start the process right now.

For example, if you would like to move around the end of June when the school year is done, and we leave just 60 days to negotiate a sale, we better get started right away! It takes 45 to 60 days to close, and  we need some time on the market to attract that buyer. Now what happens if a buyer comes along and wants to close sooner than that? We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Many buyers will wait an extra 45-60 days if they really want to buy your home, so let's not worry about that right now.

Sellers:
Get an idea as to what your home is worth. A  Market Analysis from me doesn't cost you a cent, and I certainly don't mind coming out to your home whenever it's convenient for you. Rest assured that I am not a fan of high-pressure sales tactics, so you can cross that off your list of concerns about having me over. I'll give you a true idea as to what your home is worth, and the time frame needed to secure a sale. From there, the next step is to figure out what which town you want to move to, if you don't already have an idea. I'll set you up with free access to the MLS, and we'll go look at a few homes to make sure that there is a home available that fits your needs and budget. If we find lots of properties that seem to fit the bill, well, then depending on your time frame for moving, we might want to get started right away, or plan for a future start date.

Buyers:  Let's work on an  estimated time frame. Let's say for instance, that we went to see a home today, and you wanted to buy it. If we found that property today, the very soonest that we would most likely close is at the end of March, but if you figured on finalizing the sale at the end of April, that would be a lot more realistic. And that's if we found a house today! We haven't even met yet! You should expect the closing to take anywhere from 45 to 60 days on average, and if you are looking at bank owned properties, the closing could take months! So depending on your time frame, it might be a very good idea to start the process now.

If you want to see what your competition is , or see what available homes are out there in your range, just click on the logo below to get your FREE, no obligation MLS account, complete with addresses. Remember you can always call me or email me, too.