4 Things Sellers Need To Get Right

If you're thinking about selling a home in Parker, Colorado this fall, there's still plenty of opportunity. But today's Parker real estate market requires a different strategy than sellers could get away with a few years ago.

Buyers generally have more homes to choose from, and they're taking the time to compare properties carefully. They're looking at price, condition, location, improvements and overall value before deciding which homes are worth seeing.

That doesn't mean you can't have a successful sale. You absolutely can.

But after more than 20 years of selling homes in Parker and the surrounding communities, we've found there are four things that can make a significant difference.

1. Price Your Parker Colorado Home Correctly From the Beginning

Pricing has always been important, but when buyers have more choices, it becomes even more critical.

An overpriced home may still get plenty of views online. But today's buyers can compare your home with dozens of competing properties in a matter of minutes.

If they don't see the value, they move on.

And once a home has accumulated significant days on market, buyers may begin wondering why it hasn't sold.

That's why determining the right listing price involves much more than looking at a few recently sold homes.

Before recommending a price, we want to know:

• What comparable Parker homes have actually sold for

• What homes are currently competing with yours

• Which homes are under contract

• How long similar homes are taking to sell

• Which properties have required price reductions

• How your home's condition, location, lot and improvements compare

• What buyers appear to be responding to in your price range

Sometimes the best strategy isn't determining the highest price we can put on the listing.

It's determining the price that makes buyers recognize the value and want to see the home.

2. Prepare Your Parker Home To Make a Great First Impression

When buyers have choices, presentation matters.

That doesn't mean you need to spend thousands of dollars remodeling your house before putting it on the market. There are plenty of improvements that may not return what they cost.

Instead, we concentrate on the things most likely to influence a buyer's first impression.

That may include touching up paint, taking care of deferred maintenance, improving curb appeal, decluttering, rearranging furniture, replacing dated fixtures or making relatively inexpensive cosmetic improvements.

This is an area where Cheryl's 20 years of experience in interior design and working with custom homes can be especially valuable.

Before listing, we can walk through your home with you and discuss what we believe is worth doing, what probably isn't worth doing and where your money and effort may have the greatest impact.

Once the home is ready, professional photography and strong online marketing become critical.

Most buyers will see your home online before they ever walk through the front door. We want to give them a reason to schedule that showing.

3. Be Prepared To Negotiate With Parker Home Buyers

Today's real estate market generally involves more negotiation than sellers became accustomed to during the extremely competitive markets of a few years ago.

Buyers may ask for closing-cost assistance, repairs, concessions or other considerations.

That doesn't mean a Parker home seller should automatically agree to everything a buyer requests.

It means we need to look at the entire offer.

Price is important, but so are financing, concessions, inspection provisions, appraisal terms, closing dates, possession and the buyer's ability to successfully complete the transaction.

Sometimes giving a little on one issue allows you to accomplish something much more important elsewhere in the contract.

Our objective isn't to "win" every individual negotiation.

Our objective is to negotiate a transaction that accomplishes your goals and gets your home successfully to closing.

4. Pay Attention to What the Parker Real Estate Market Is Telling You

One of the advantages of putting a home on the market is that you begin receiving real-world information very quickly.

The important thing is knowing how to interpret it.

If your home is getting substantial online traffic but very few showings, buyers may not see enough value to schedule an appointment.

If you're getting showings but no offers, buyers may like the property but believe another home offers better value.

And if several buyers or real estate agents make the same comment, we should pay attention.

That doesn't mean changing the price because one buyer didn't like the kitchen or one agent thought the house was expensive.

We're looking for patterns.

If the market consistently tells us something isn't working, we need to be willing to adjust the strategy.

Sometimes a relatively small adjustment in price, presentation or marketing can put the property in front of a new group of buyers and create renewed interest.

Waiting another month usually doesn't correct a pricing problem.

Is Fall a Good Time To Sell a Home in Parker, Colorado?

It certainly can be.

Homes in Parker sell throughout the year, and fall buyers are often people who have a genuine reason for moving rather than simply browsing the market.

But every property and every seller's circumstances are different.

The better question is:

What would it take to successfully sell your particular Parker home in today's market?

To answer that, we look at your neighborhood, price range, competition, recent comparable sales, condition of the home and your objectives.

That allows us to develop a selling strategy around your property rather than relying on general national real estate advice.

Thinking About Selling Your Home in Parker Colorado?

We've lived in Parker since 1987 and have watched the community grow from a small town into one of the Denver area's major residential communities.

That history gives us perspective you simply can't get from looking at market statistics alone.

We know Parker's neighborhoods, the different types of homes, the custom-home and acreage communities, the newer developments and many of the features buyers are looking for when they move here.

When we're preparing a Parker home for sale, our approach is straightforward:

Price it correctly. Prepare it properly. Market it aggressively. Negotiate carefully. And continually evaluate what the market is telling us.

If you're considering selling a home in Parker, Colorado, we'd be happy to take a look at your property, review the recent comparable sales and current competition, and give you our opinion about what your home could realistically sell for in today's market.

There's no pressure or obligation.

Sometimes the most valuable first step is simply knowing what your home is worth and what it would take to get it sold.