THE MARKET ULTIMATELY DECIDES THE PRICE OF YOUR HOME!

The Result of Overpricing
Here are the main reasons that a Seller may decide to price a property above its market value.

Extensive renovations / hidden costs
Desire to purchase in a higher-priced area
Original cost of home was too high
Lack of real market information
Building in "bargaining room"
Perceived emotional value
Many sellers believe that if they price their home high initially, they can lower it later.

Often, when a home is priced too high, it experiences little activity. Gradually the price will come down to market value, but by that time it's been for sale too long and some buyers will be wary and reject the property.

On occasion, the price is dropped below the market value because the seller runs out of time. The property sells for less than it's worth.

Missing the Right Buyer
You may think that interested buyers "can always make an offer," but if the home is overpriced, potential buyers looking in a lower price range will never see it.

Those who can afford a home at your asking price will soon recognize that they can get a better value elsewhere.

The Importance of Early Activity
As soon as a home comes on the market, there is a flurry of activity surrounding it. This is a crucial time when Real Estate Professionals and potential buyers sit up and take notice.

If the home is overpriced, it doesn't take long for interested parties to lose interest. By the time the price drops, a majority of buyers are lost.

Baya will prepare a complimentary, written Comparable Market Analysis, which will:

Analyze comparable homes in your area - both sold and currently for sale
Analyze market forces which will affect the price of your home
Suggest a complete marketing strategy for the marketing of your home
Suggest a list price for your home that reflects current market conditions

Occasionally, one can see "For Sale By Owner" signs, and some owners think that selling their own home will not only save them money, but believe they have an advantage over the sellers that have their home listed by a reputable Real Estate sales professional. Before you decide to take on this very important and legally complicated process…remember not even most Real Estate Lawyer's recommend selling your own home yourself in today's market. Here are a few of the reasons why:

1. You are limiting your exposure to potential buyers (less than 10% of what a good real estate broker will generate) which theoretically means your home will take ten to fifteen times longer to sell on the market.

2. The longer a home is on the market the lower the selling price is. Why? Because most buyers think that if the home has not sold after this long... there must be something wrong with the home.

3. The selling/buying process begins AFTER the buyer leaves your home. Most sellers think that all it takes is for someone to see their home, fall in love with the great decor... and the offer automatically will follow. Remember that the buying process begins after they leave your home. If a real estate sales representative does not represent the buyer, and they are looking on their own…they usually leave the home and start to talk themselves out of the buying process. Real estate professionals are trained on how to overcome buyers remorse--a very common occurrence.

4. Because of the limited exposure you will very likely end up with a lower selling price. Remember, in order to generate the highest price possible for your home… selling means exposure. You need the maximum exposure possible, to generate the highest price possible.

5. Most buyers find it extremely awkward to negotiate or even to talk directly with sellers and therefore avoid FSBO properties.

6. Lack of negotiating experience and lack of pertinent information often will result in a lower selling price, or worse yet, a bungled contract and possible lawsuits.

7. The majority of qualified buyers are working with experienced real estate professionals.

8. Many serious buyers will pass by a FSBO home merely because they recognize that it is not in the real estate mainstream, this can some times make them wary.

9. As most local buyers now retain an experienced real estate sales person to represent them as their buyer-agency, you will probably be negotiating against an experienced professional.

10. Expected savings in broker's fees will also be greatly reduced if you offer a selling commission to entice real estate sales representatives to bring potential buyers.

11. If you are planning to use a Lawyer to help you negotiate the offer, then your lawyer's fees will be considerably higher.

12. Only real estate sales representatives have access to the up-to-date market information. News reports cannot approach the timeliness or specificity available to real estate sales people. Further, real estate sales representatives are involved in home sales much more frequently than the average homeowner is. This familiarity leads to a degree of expertise that provides an edge on negotiating and successful selling.

13. You only pay the commission to the real estate broker, if they successfully sell your home at the price you are happy with.

14. Accepting an offer is one thing, ensuring a safe and successful closing is quite another. Real estate transactions usually always have problems on closing. At times, expecting the Buyers and Sellers Lawyer's to fight it out or resolve the problems, can sometimes mean the deal is lost. This is the time that your experienced real estate professional, can be the most important. Your Real Estate professional can act as a great mediator. Lawyers MUST act only on their client's instructions and are not paid to negotiate.