You’ve heard good real estate agents talk about how to prep your home to get it sold.  

> How the first physical visit by a prospective buyer is actually the “second” showing, if it was marketed correctly on the internet with high quality photos, photos and more photos. 

> How condition of the home is as important as location in today’s market. 

So if you’re a seller and you’ve completed this checklist, what is the next key element?  That would be:  making your home as available as possible for showings to buyers.  If the house can’t be shown, it won’t be sold and will linger, adding to days on market.  

And, statistics show that the longer it is on the market the less the seller receives in proceeds.  It is not uncommon for buyers to have a bulk list of homes to visit in one day.  You’ll want your “for sale” home on their “must see” list.

Here are a few things to apply to the overall plan for selling a home:

Allow buyer’s agents as much access as possible.  Just because you are having an open house on Sunday doesn’t mean they should come see your home on that day if the buyers can only see it on Saturday. 

It’s best that sellers are not present when the home is being shown to buyers.  This allows the buyers to take their time in viewing your property. Often times, buyers feel rushed if the seller is home.  

If security is an issue, take some preventive steps to put things of value elsewhere if you are concerned.  You can require that buyer’s agents showing your home are members of the Montgomery County Association of Realtors (or other association of realtors).  Member Realtors live and work by a code of ethics.  If the agent is not a member, you should still allow the showing, but perhaps you stick around to meet the agent, ask for their business card, then leave. 

There are a couple of different types of lockboxes that usually meet the needs of every seller, some being electronic that only Realtors can access.  Also, when making an extra key for the lockbox, ensure that it works properly.  There is nothing worse than arranging an appointment for a showing than getting there and not being able to get in because the key is not cut right for the lock.  (Your agent should do this too.)

There are very understandable circumstances where you may want select hours for home showings, like sellers who work 2^nd or 3^rd shift and need to sleep in the daytime.  In this case, a detailed timeframe of available hours for showings should be mapped out and adhered to.  Again, this should be as open as possible.

Pets should be no problem.  Houses are sold everyday where cats, dogs, iguanas and other types of animals live.  What’s important is having a plan.  There can be a room specifically for the pets during showings or the use of crates.  Most buyers understand this and many are pet owners themselves or want to be pet owners, hence the desire to buy a home to have the freedom to do so. 

When sellers provide full access to their home, they get more showings, which translate to offers.  And once you’ve accepted an offer and your home is pending sale, you can breathe easy and get back to a more normal schedule with fewer demands. 

~Gina

Key Element to Selling a Home by our Team Member Gina Wherry originally appeared in the Montgomeryville-Lansdale Patch.

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Key Element to Selling a Home - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Our team member Gina's "Other" Team: 2011 Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Ultimate Frisbee Summer League Champs. 

What will summer of 2012 bring?

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Wordless Wednesday - Go Gina! - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Scott and Bernie Parent - goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers when they won the Stanley Cup in '74 and '75

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Speechless Sunday - Meeting a Local Legend - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Stonegate Home Sale Activity for 2011, Lansdale PA

In 2011, 10 homes sold in Stonegate with prices ranging from $215,000 to $279,900.  Taking seller assists into account, the highest net to a seller was $271,900.  Two homes sold were short sales and fetched the lowest selling prices at $215,000 and $230,000.  Only one property was up for sale in 2011 and subsequently withdrawn from the market. 

The wide range in prices really exemplify how Stonegate continues to be a popular neighborhood with home buyers.  The homes are all wonderfully laid out 3 BR/2.5 BA townhomes with full basements (many being walkout basements) and 1-car garages. 

Close to Merck's West Point and North Wales facilities and the Septa's R-5 regional rail connecting Doylestown to center city Philadelphia, Stonegate is ideally located in Upper Gwynedd township and part of the well-regarded North Penn School District.

Location and condition within the development really impact at what end of the price range a seller will get.  Updated units are commanding prices well above the older "original" units.

If you are looking to buy or sell in Stonegate, call us today!

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Stonegate Home Sale Activity for 2011, Lansdale PA - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

The “Great Recession” has brought a wave of practicality to home buying.  Smaller homes and “Green” homes are hugely popular.  As the cost of living seems to be soaring, buyers are looking for affordability and want lower mortgage payments, lower utility bills, and less maintenance/upkeep. 

Functionality is still key as buyers adapt to smaller homes.  And outdoor living/entertaining spaces are more popular than ever.

Here is a sampling of what will be popular with homebuyers in the coming year:

WHAT'S HOT

>  Spaces, Not Rooms:  Buyers still love open floor plans and spaces that can serve multiple purposes, especially since smaller houses are “in” right now.  It all boils down to being able to optimize the use of each and every space.

>  Walk-in Closets, Linen Closets, and Pantries: This is becoming increasingly important to buyers and walk-in storage areas are a must-have for many.  Considering the popularity of warehouse stores and how large quantities = great savings, it should come as no surprise that consumers need areas to store the bulk items they bring home.

>  Home Office/Technology Areas:  More and more people are working from home and spending countless hours in front of a computer and on the internet.  Great home office areas will appeal to most buyers, especially those that are well designed for more than one person, wired for technology and well designed to accommodate charging stations and scanners/printer/fax machines.

>  Large Kitchens with Big, Quiet, Energy-Efficient Appliances:  The kitchen always has and continues to be the heart of the home.  As people eat in and entertain at home, everything these days revolves around the kitchen.  Large islands for preparing food, doing homework, and casual dining are immensely popular.

Buyers are also realizing the savings of energy efficient appliances but they want the professional grade 6-burner stoves, ultra quiet exhaust hoods and dishwashers, large built-in refrigerators (again for warehouse size purchases), built-in ice makers and wine chillers.

>  Overall Energy Efficiency: This includes higher SEER HVAC units, higher R-value insulation in the attic and walls, and energy efficient windows and doors.  Reviled by interior decorators of the last decade, ceiling fans are making a comeback as they help to circulate the air and improve energy efficiency.

Plus any home utilizing “green” features such as solar energy, geothermal heating, or tank less hot water heaters would strongly appeal to a homebuyer in today’s market.

>  Air Quality:  Whole house filters, humidifiers, low VOC paint and flooring, and the absence of visible mold/moisture are pretty important to homebuyers as more families suffer from asthma and allergies.

>  2+ Car Attached Garages:  Despite the movement to smaller homes, garage space is becoming increasingly important to homebuyers.  A large garage offers additional storage, personal protection, safety, and ease of getting in and out in bad weather.  Plus as homeowners hold on to their cars longer, garages offer a place to shelter cars from the elements.

>  Updated Bathrooms with Trendy Features:  Of course every homebuyer loves updated bathrooms, but there are a few design features that buyers find particularly appealing these days:  vessel sinks mounted into antique cabinets, wall mounted faucets with dual handles, dual shower heads, hand-held sprayers for ease of cleaning tubs and showers, and lots of glass, stone and brushed nickel.  Any departure from “builder” grade fixtures is hugely popular.

WHAT'S NOT

>  Laminate Cabinets: Nearly 8 out of 10 homebuyers prefer solid wood cabinets particularly with some glass panel doors mixed in.

>  Formica or Tile Countertops: Formica has no “wow” factor and tile (namely the grout) is too hard to keep clean.  Three out of four homebuyers prefer granite, stone, or poured cement countertops.

>  Vinyl Siding: Buyers are trending toward other low-maintenance products that add more character and curb appeal such as manufactured stone, natural stone, and fiber-cement siding. 

>  Wallpaper and Wallpaper Borders:  Too many people have gone through the aggravation of removing wallpaper.  It is now a huge turnoff to buyers everywhere.

>  Wall to Wall Carpeting:  Homebuyers love the cleaner, sleeker look of hardwood and tile floors.  Plus they don’t want carpeting that will trap dust mites, pet dander, and such.  Bamboo, cork, Brazilian cherry and travertine tile are popular choices. 

Feel free to comment below and tell us what would be important to you if you were looking to buy a new home. 

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

What’s Hot/What’s Not for Homebuyers in 2012 - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

New house, new baby!  And I still remember our Realtor's name, Mary Ryan of Highland Park, NJ.

Are you ready to buy your first home?

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Wordless Wednesday - Our First Home - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Me I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly it's the honest ones you have to watch out for, you never can predict if they're going to do something incredibly stupid.  ~ Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean

Trust takes so many forms. 

There is "Big Picture" Trust - the all-important trust: 

* Trust in God to guide and protect you. * Trust in your spouse to be loving and faithful. * The trust a child has in their parents. * Trusting your instincts.

Then there is "Semi-Big Picture" Trust - the high consequence trust: 

* Trust that a friend will not betray you. * Trust that our government is managing our national affairs well and keeping us safe. * Trust that your accountant, financial planner, employees, elected officials, or neighbor won't steal from you. * Trust that a teacher or a coach won't harm your child.  * Trust that your kids will make it safely to school today.

Then there is "Daily Life" Trust - the low probability or low consequence trust: 

* Trust that a bridge won't fall down when you drive across it. * Trust that the mail will show up.  * Trust that your kids did their homework and studied for their test.  * Trust that your new computer won't break within a month.  * Trust that your mechanic fixed the problem with your car.

Every aspect of life involves a level of trust.  You can't live without trust.  You can try, but you won't live a full and happy life.

Once we get into combat, the only people you can trust is yourself and the fella next to you.  ~Bill Guarnere, Band of Brothers

A person who trusts no one can't be trusted.  ~Jerome Blattner

In real estate, you need a bounty of trust.  * Trust that the business will come if you are doing the right things now.  * Trust that buyers and sellers are sincere in their desire to move.  * Trust that the other agent, mortgage loan officer, home inspector, title clerk, and appraiser are all doing their jobs (and doing them well).  * Trust that no one is behaving in an unethical manner.

The trust a client has in YOU is the most important trust of all:

 > to act honestly, professionally and in their best interest
> to advise them well
> negotiate skillfully on their behalf
> be clever and resourceful at resolving problems
> to have a reliable network of people and systems in place to make a real estate transaction as seamless as possible
> to NOT do something incredibly stupid

Although we use contracts to clearly specify the legal obligations of all parties involved, our real estate team does operate on a high level of trust. 

We have surrounded ourselves by people we consider the "best in the business" to help us with any situation that could arise (people we trust).  We don't normally lock clients into their listing or buyer agency contracts (a client can "fire" us at any time if they choose).  We will show a property to a prospective buyer without having a pre-approval in place.  We hone our skills as real estate agents everyday. 

We trust our clients and we want our clients to trust us.

Have we occasionally wasted time (and gas) on a buyer who ended up not buying or worse eventually bought a home with another agent?  Yes. 

Have we encountered agents who we hope to never have another deal with?  Absolutely.

Have we had times where we felt taken advantage of by a seller who wanted our expertise on pricing and preparing the home for sale but had no intentions of listing with us?  Unfortunately yes.

Have we ever been really burned by this business?  Thankfully no.

In answer to the question, must we trust others?  Yes, we must.  We take precautions, but we couldn't operate effectively without trust.

Our distrust is very expensive. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

~Lisa

This post is a submission to the ActiveRain / Adobe EchoSign Trust Contest. I could possibly win a prize. You can find out about the contest by clicking here.

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Must We Trust Others? - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Since our first winter weather is on its way (since the big snowstorm of October 2011), we thought we would have some fun today!  Have a great weekend everyone!

Winter Riddles for the Kids

What do snowmen wear on their heads? 

>  Ice caps

What do snowmen eat for breakfast? 

>  Frosted Flakes

What did one snowman say to the other?

>  “Do you smell carrots?”

What did warm knitted scarf say to the big fuzzy hat?

>  "“You go ahead, I’ll hang here."

What's the difference between an iceberg and a clothes brush?

>  One crushes boats and the other brushes coats

What do you call penguins in the Arctic?

>  LOST! (Penguins live in Antarctica.)

What bites and nips but has no teeth?

>  Frost

Where do polar bears vote?

>  The North Poll

Life Lessons From A Snowmen

* A hairdryer makes a good weapon.

* Never let anyone pee on you.

* Getting out in the cold air is good, but stay out of the sun.

* White is always fashionable and your accessories don’t have to be expensive.

* Just be yourself and everyone will like you.

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Friday Fun - Winter Riddles and Lessons from a Snowman - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

What’s the real estate market been doing over the last three months (not counting January, of course)? 

Well, according to the statistics compiled by Trend, the Multiple Listing Service, Montgomery County as a whole had more sales in the last quarter of 2011 than it did a year ago during the same time period. 

To be exact, there were 1,633 homes sold from October to December 2011. That’s a 7.2 percent increase. 

The supply of homes on the market decreased by 12.3 percent during the last quarter compared to the previous year, and it took on average 127 days to sell a home.  The time it took to sell increased by 11.3 percent.  

So the last quarter of 2010, homes were on the market for an average of 15 days less than 2011.  That’s not so bad.  The median sales price for all types of homes was $239,900 for all of Montgomery County while the average sales price was $283,963. 

Both of these figures are down slightly from the previous year.  Some of this decrease is due to the number of pre-foreclosure (short sale) or bank owned properties sold that influence the market since they typically sell for under market value. 

Here is the latest real estate information for the Lansdale area, which is reported by ZIP code.

For Hatfield (19440): The median sales price was $254,500 and remained unchanged from one year ago.  The average number of days a house was on the market before it sold was 97 (which was less than the county average).  During the time period of October-December, there were 21 homes sold, which is slightly down from last quarter of 2010 by 4.5 percent.

For the Lansdale area (19446): The median sales price was $235,000; down just 7.8 percent.   The average number of days a house was on the market was 130 which was an increase from the previous year by 30 days.  There were a total of 79 homes sold which is less than the previous year by 34 percent.

For the North Wales area (19454):  The median sales price was $250,000; down by 13 percent.  There were 76 homes sold in this zip code which was an increase from the previous year by 15 percent.  The average number of days it took for a home to sell was 112, again under the county average. 

If you take the average of all three areas, the days on market was 113.  With a healthy supply of homes for sale, these statistics for length of time a home is on the market are relatively good. 

~Gina

Market Report for 4th Quarter 2011 originally appeared in the Montgomeryville-Lansdale Patch.

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Market Report for 4th Quarter 2011 - North Penn Area, Lansdale PA 19446, 19440, 19454 - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Even Istanbul, Turkey

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Wordless Wednesday - RE/MAX is Everywhere! - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.