Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. Alamo City Moms Blog partners with local businesses to bring our readers information that their families will benefit from. We are thrilled to be partnering with local Realtor, Lorena Pena, who works with a number of families to ensure they have the best experience when buying or selling a home.
“Summer is gone…does that mean the real estate market is too?”
Both buyers and sellers pose that same question to me every September or October. Did I miss the summer real estate rush or sale? Thankfully after 12 years as a Realtor, I can assure them there are pros to selling or buying outside of the summer bubble! Most people believe the best time to buy and sell is in the summer because there is more activity….well, that is both true and false. There may be more homes on the market or buyers out looking, but that also means you will have more competition. Just because it’s fall doesn’t mean the market is dormant. Actually, we notice relocation companies typically move more people in fall and winter than the summertime. We also see local people needing to upgrade or downsize decide to move in the fall instead of summer so they are not dealing with showings when the kids are off from school.
National and local experts are saying we are posed for a hot fall market due to interest rates staying low, and thankfully our San Antonio job market is strong! From the oil industry to hospitality, our job growth keeps getting better. Even more, some buyers went through “fatigue” this summer and delayed their purchase because they had to compete against multiple offers, bidding wars and tight inventory. The San Antonio Board of Realtors just released this information:
“As we transition to the fall, many homes continue to move quickly due to the market’s strength and stable inventory,” said Missy Stagers, SABOR’s 2014 Chairman of the Board. “In fact, our months of inventory is well below the national supply of 5.5 months.”
San Antonio’s average price reached $222,993, a six percent increase from last year, and the median rose to $183,300, a five percent increase from August 2013. The month ended with 1,964 pending sales. Of the 2,468 homes sold in August, 4.5 percent were priced over $500,000, with 0.5 percent of the total homes sold priced over $1 million. Homes priced between $200,000 and $500,000 accounted for 38.7 percent of sales and homes under $200,000 made up the majority of sales with 56.9 percent. The San Antonio Business Journal just stated that homes prices have risen 6.5% in the last 12 months. We haven’t seen these price booms since 2006!
No matter what time of year you are selling here is a checklist to think about when placing your home on the market:
- Sweep the sidewalk, mow the lawn, prune the bushes, weed the garden and clean debris from the yard.
- Clean the windows and make sure the paint is not chipped or flaking.
- Be sure that the doorbell works.
- Clean all rooms, furnishings, floors, walls and ceilings. It’s especially important the bathroom and kitchen are spotless. This is a good time to hire a professional to do all the tough cleaning like baseboards, window sills, blinds, etc.
- Organize closets and kids’ play areas. This is a great time to do some pre-packing or a make a trip to Goodwill.
- Make sure the basic appliances and fixtures work. Get rid of leaky faucets and frayed cords.
- Ensure that the house smells good. Tip: bake an apple pie or cookies; hide the kitty litter.
- Place vases of fresh flowers throughout the house.
- Play pleasant background music during showings as a nice touch.
- Clean all light fixtures including glass enclosures so you get bright, clean light.
- Hide or remove any pet dishes or bowls.
- Place a inviting wreath on the door and make sure your welcome mat is still in good condition along with door knob hardware. Remember your front door is one of the first impressions potential buyers have.
Don’t let the fall intimidate you. It can be the perfect time to buy or sell your home!
Lorena Pena, ABR, NHS is a San Antonio Realtor with The Osburn Pena Group and a RE/MAX Preferred Realtor. She is a Platinum Top 50 Realtor in San Antonio and was voted top 3 Real Estate Agents in San Antonio by Current Magazine. Licensed since 2002, Lorena is a graduate of Texas State. She has served as Chairman of the Young Professionals Network, currently serves on the Board of Directors for the San Antonio Board of Realtors and is the President-Elect of the Junior League of San Antonio.
Direct: 210-483-5043
