 One of the many benefits of owning a home is having the ability to sell it one day – hopefully for a healthy profit, which can then be leveraged to purchase a larger home, an investment or recreational property, or help finance your retirement. Once you decide that you’re ready to take the leap and list your home for sale, the next question you need to ask is, “How much is my house worth?” This is a loaded question indeed. It opens the floodgates to a slew of other factors that will each impact your decision on asking price to varying degrees. The Price Is Right We can’t stress the importance of setting the right asking price. An overpriced home runs the risk of sitting (and stagnating!) on the market for a prolonged period of time. This can seriously hurt your bottom line, especially if you’ve already purchased another home and you’re paying two mortgages simultaneously. Beyond that, overpricing your home could make competing listings look even more attractive. And oftentimes, fixing the issue isn’t as simple as just re-listing the home at a lower price. Buyers who are shopping the market will have already seen your listing, and they will either discount it as old news, or they may wonder what’s wrong with the property, in light of the price reduction. An overpriced home is not an ideal situation to find yourself in, in any selling scenario. On the flip-side, underpricing your home means leaving money on the table. Setting the right price from the get-go will ensure your listing attracts serious buyers, and some feasible offers too. So, how much is my house worth? Let’s find out. MARKET CONDITIONS Is it a buyer’s market or a seller’s market? The real estate market is impacted by everything from the local and larger economic picture, to the weather. The type of market speaks to demand for homes, which will affect how quickly your home sells and will help answer the question, “How much is my house worth?” A buyer’s real estate market is characterized by more homes for sale than people to buy them. An influx of listings (or fewer homebuyers) means buyers face less competition in the purchasing process, and can often take their time and see more homes before making an offer. Buyers also have greater negotiating power when it comes to their offer and conditions of the sale. READ MORE: What’s The Difference Between a Buyer’s and Seller’s Market? THE COMPARABLES If you’re not sure what your home is worth, have your real estate agent pull comparable sales to help answer the million-dollar question (depending on the market, of course!) “How much is my house worth?” This will give you an idea of what homes in the same neighbourhood have sold for in recent weeks. This is a realistic reflection of what buyers have actually paid for similar homes in the same area. It’s also prudent to keep an eye on your competition. Pay attention to homes for sale in your neighbourhood, their condition and features, and the asking price – but take it with a grain of salt. Depending on the seller’s strategy, they could have listed low in an attempt to attract more potential buyers. READ MORE: Selling In A Buyer’s Market THE LOCATION A home’s location has a huge impact on its value, and rightfully so. It’s a particularly important consideration for buyers, as location is one thing you definitely can’t change about the home. Location will define the liveability of the neighbourhood, the price buyers need to pay to get into the area, and the resale value when it’s time to list it. Translation: hot neighbourhoods are always a hot commodity, oftentimes trumping market conditions. READ MORE: Location versus Style THE HOME A home’s location typically trumps style when it comes to value, but that’s not to say condition, features and upgrades don’t matter when you’re determining what your home is worth. A fixer-upper and a move-in ready home will vary in terms of price, even with identical floor plans. Items such as a new roof, a finished basement, renovated kitchen and baths can make a difference to the bottom line, and the return on investment could be well worth the money and effort. This is precisely why many home sellers choose to renovate or update their home before listing it for sale. Evaluate the cost of the renovation and consider whether you’ll get that money back in the face of real estate market conditions. READ MORE: Top 6 Home Renovations There’s a lot to think about before you put up that For Sale sign. What’s happening in the real estate market? Is there buyer demand? Who’s your competition? What is my house worth? And ultimately, what can I do to make the sale? Start by working with an experienced real estate agent who has a thorough knowledge of your specific area, the market conditions and your target buyer. Discuss all of the above with your real estate professional. At the risk of sounding like a public service announcement, education really is key in the home buying and selling process, allowing you to make confident decisions concerning your property – and your financial future.  PR & Content Manager
RE/MAX INTEGRA, Ontario-Atlantic CanadaLydia McNutt is an award-winning writer and editor, who’s interest in real estate, creative flair and love of the written word have brought her to RE/MAX. As Manager of Public Relations and Content at RE/MAX, Lydia is responsible for the creation and curation of content that informs homebuyers and sellers, and empowers them on their journey. Lydia executes on RE/MAX’s public relations, communications and social media strategies, which includes developing reports, featured content and the consumer-facing blog at remax.ca. Lydia has been published nationally, on topics ranging from real estate, decor and design, to finance, business, technology, entertainment and lifestyle. When she’s not head-down at her writing desk, Lydia is blissfully “momming it up” in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her husband, two kids and their chocolate lab, Betty. Email Lydia at lmcnutt@remaxintegra.com.
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SEPTEMBER 2019 STATISTICS RELEASE Statistics include Fort McMurray and surrounding area Hopefully everyone is enjoying the beautiful, vibrant colors of fall as you drive around town. Our real estate market continues to cool with the weather this month. September’s single family homes saw a slight decrease in sales compared to the same time last year. However, we saw a slight increase in the number of apartment, duplex, and townhome sales. Prices still continue downward this month, -6% compared to last year. As always the best advice is the trusted advice from your Real Estate Professional. Complete statistics are posted monthly on our website www.fmreb.com.  |
AuthorHi, my name is Dana McAroe. I'm a Real Estate Agent in Fort McMurray. I help people get the best possible outcome from their real estate transaction - whether they are selling or buying or a house. Categories
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Dana McAroe,
Real Estate Agent with REMAX Fort McMurray
Real Estate Agent with REMAX Fort McMurray
9919 Biggs Avenue Fort McMurray AB T9H-1S2 -- Office (780) 804-1916 Fax (780) 743-4369
Each office is independently owned and operated
Each office is independently owned and operated
Copyright © 2020
Real Estate Agent in Fort McMurray with REMAX Fort McMurray
Whether you are selling your home or buying a house we are ready to get to work for you!
Whether you are selling your home or buying a house we are ready to get to work for you!
Please contact me directly if you have any questions about the Fort McMurray real estate market, or buying or selling a home in Fort McMurray, AB.