49 Vincent Avenue, Belmont, MA 02478

$399,000

Inviting Open Floorplan, Immaculate Kitchen

25 Linwood Street, Arlington, MA 02476

New Price $590,000

Open Sunday, May 1st, Noon – 1:30pm

We’ve provided numerous posts on how to get your home ready to sell, but we’ve never really identified specifics on increasing your net proceeds. In this article, you will learn about the TOP 10 ways you can convince a Buyer to offer full price on your home. This information is based off of numerous studies and data, and our experience of helping people buy and sell homes around Northern Suburban Boston, including Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Lexington, Medford, Somerville & Winchester MA.

1. Price it right. Buyers are more educated than ever, thanks to Internet sites that list recent sales and market information. While there isn’t a web site that can take the place of a Realtor, Buyers will not pay more than market value unless your home is located in a high demand community with low inventory. Pricing according to that factor alone can determine what kind of offer you receive. Sellers often inflate their price to give ‘negotiation room’, but this may cause less buyers to view your home, lowering your chances of a full price offer. The best way to ensure a full price offer? Multiple offers! Buyers competing over your home is a sure bet toward a full price offer.
2. Superior Curb Appeal. If you want the buyer to love your home so much that they forget their budget and ‘maximum price’, wow them before they open the front door. If you live in a condo and don’t have much control over the landscaping, then spruce up your entry way. Fresh paint, potted flowers, clean and shiny address markers, a new doorbell/knocker, a fresh and clean welcome mat, the possibilities are endless. You can’t make your entry too perfect!
3. Spacious Kitchen Counters. The fewer items on your counter, the better. Sure it’s inconvenient to lug your coffee maker out of the cupboard or pantry every morning, but the more you do to get buyers to fall in love with  your home, the shorter amount of time it will be on the market. Now is the time to box up all unnecessary items in your cupboards too, so if they decide to check them out, they won’t find an overstuffed area that signals a crammed kitchen.
4. Open Blinds. We’ve mentioned this in other posts, but it’s worth mentioning again because it’s so important. NO ONE every pays full price for a place that appears ‘dark’ or needing a brightened up coat of paint.
5. Leave Lights On. If you are gone during late afternoon or evening hours, try to leave a few lights on, including exterior lights! Most Realtors showing your home will turn on the majority of lights for the buyer, but you can’t count on it. Light adds warmth and gives the home a cozy, friendly feel, even if it’s cloudy outside or dusk has started.
6. Take pets out of the house. Animal lovers are everywhere, but they usually aren’t thrilled to find pets in the home they are thinking of buying. If possible, remove your pets during showings or during the day. If a pet cannot leave the home for a showing, secure them in a crate or cage so the buyers aren’t distracted by Fido or Meow Meow.
7. Scents: A little goes a long way. Candles are nice, but you can’t always be there to ensure they’re lit, and it’s easy to forget they are there, causing a fire hazard. Skip the Glade items, some of those scents can be overpowering and turn a buyer off. Stick with neutrals: Vanilla, Fresh Linen or Cotton, and go with Reed Diffusers. These give off a lighter scent and aren’t so powerful that it appears you are trying to hide something. Remember, consult your Realtor when choosing a scent, one person’s passion is another person’s poison, and you want to stay neutral.
8. Closets. If you’ve done everything listed above, and then the buyer opens up a closet or pantry filled to the gills, it will leave a bad taste with the buyer: “Not enough room”. Buyers don’t pay full price for homes they feel may be too small. And if the place is too small for you, it’s likely it will be too small for them. The only way buyers want to buy a smaller place than they had planned on, with less storage, is if they can get a deal, which ruins your chances of full price.
9. Parking. While you can’t add more parking to your home, you can ask the neighbors for help. Ask them to keep their guests to a minimum, and leave as much room around your space as possible. You don’t have to ask them to park down the street, but asking them a favor that will give your parking area more space in exchange for a Starbucks gift card may benefit you in the long run.
10. Decor. This has been mentioned in numerous staging  articles we’ve written in the past, but it can’t be emphasized too much! They decor you use will affect the buyer emotionally, and if they see familiar items to those they are seeing in the stores, they will feel more comfortable. It’s as simple as browsing a few web sites and visiting some stores. Macy’s Home department, Bed Bath & Beyond, Pier One…all of these stores will give you plenty of ideas on adding a throw pillow here, a colorful throw there. Professional staging is always recommended, but in the event you do it yourself, consult your Realtor for a final opinion.

Simple, right? Well, if you don’t count the fresh paint, cleaning, and numerous other tasks that are underway! Just think of that offer when it comes over…if it’s full price you will feel  proud that you did everything on the list!

*According to statistics tracked by the Massachusetts Association of Realtors, “On a month-to-month basis, single-family homes put under agreement were up 40 percent from 2,874 homes in February, the largest month-to-month gain since MAR has been tracking pending sales. ”.

Many organizations are tracking sales this Spring to compare it to last year’s rush to obtain the home buyer tax credit before its expiration. While pending home sales still have not reached the same levels as last Spring, they are still rising, and this means nothing but good news for home sellers. The number of buyers will exceed the number of ‘in demand’ homes this Spring in many areas of Boston, giving home sellers in these regions reason to be optimistic.

What about condos? Good news here too! According to MAR “On a month-to-month basis, condos put under agreement were up 45.4 percent from 1,134 units in February, the second largest month-to-month gain since MAR has been tracking pending sales.”.

Understanding market conditions when selling your home or buying one is a critical part of the negotiation process. Each community and neighborhood has its own rhythm, so it is imperative that real estate consumers work with a Realtor who is an expert within that region. Even though most sellers can look forward to a healthy buying season this Spring, they should still exert caution when pricing their home and pay close attention to the home’s presentation.

Mark Lesses, ABR, VP of Coldwell Banker can help educate you about the local markets in Northern Suburban Boston, including Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Lexington, Medford, Somerville & Winchester MA. Search our web site just as you would search the MLS for your next home: Click Here

Now Let’s Get Moving…It’s Officially Spring!

Under $300K!

Open this weekend Sunday, April 17th, Noon – 1:30pm

Don’t miss this fabulous 2 bedroom unit on Spy Pond! Gleaming Hardwood floors, Eat-in Kitchen, Balcony and more! Steps to Spy Pond, the bike path, Alewife Station & Restaurants. Offered at $299,000.

Do you want to do more to help your community, but it’s hard for you to find the time? Today’s busy lifestyles often leave us in a state of exhaustion when the weekend hits, but this particular event is guaranteed to lift your spirits! Bonus: It’s an event the whole family can enjoy, or you can join friends, and make it a social event.

We’ve copied this information straight from HCA’s web site for reference, please visit their site directly to learn more!

How can you get involved?

• Walk! Ask friends, family, classmates, and co-workers
  to sponsor you in the Walk.
• Organize a team and walk together with your friends and family.
• If you are unable to join us, sponsor the Walk
  with a contribution to HCA.

What is HCA?

“HCA provides and advocates for affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families and individuals in Arlington while promoting social and economic diversity. Since 2000, over 340 households at risk of losing their housing have received homelessness prevention assistance from HCA.”

Whom do you contact?

Call:  781-316-3451
Email: walk@housingcorparlington.org

If you can’t participate personally, you can help out in other ways:

• Tell your friends and family who believe in helping others who are less fortunate.
• Cheer our participants on: The walk starts 1:30pm Sunday, April 10th, through Arlington Town Center.
• Donate Online, or mail in a contribution, click here for instructions.

Thank you for your support of this amazing charitable organization.

Mark Lesses and Associates of Coldwell Banker support this organization by making a contribution from each home sale and purchase.