7984 Reasons to Sell Your House Over the Holidays

Holiday Season is a Great Time to Sell!

The holiday season is such a hectic time for people. Getting together with family and friends, traveling, shopping, decorating, company parties, charity events... So why would a home-seller keep their house on the market and even more, why would anyone list their house for sale during this busy time? A lot of real estate agents (who don't work over the holidays) will tell you that no one buys houses over the holidays anyway and you'll get more money if you wait until Spring like everyone else does, right?

Well actually, there are 7984 reasons why! That is the number of single-family and condominium home sellers in Middlesex County who accepted offers on their houses last year between November 15 and January 15. That includes 22 in Sudbury, 12 in Wayland, 17 in Concord, and 18 in Maynard. In Weston, there were 16, 22 in Hudson, and in Acton there were 30!

Sale prices for the properties that accepted offers during the holidays ranged from $108,000 for a condominium in Acton to $5,500,000 for a luxury estate in Weston; and all prices ranges in between. 

So why do houses sell over the holidays? Because:

• Buyers have time to look; unused vacation days; companies give their employees extra time for shopping.
• Holiday/year-end bonuses.
• Pay-raises.
• Motivated buyers who missed out or were out-bid in the Spring, Summer and Fall markets.
• New jobs - companies hire for the new year. Relocating buyers need to make decisions soon.
• People get engaged, married, combine households and need more space.
• Visiting family brings out the nesting instinct.
• Down-payment holiday gifts - click here to out how your family can give money tax-free.
• Good deals; buyers are seeing price reductions from sellers who are ready to move.
• People are in the mood to shop and there's nothing better than buying a house!

As for selling for more money in the Spring, if you are selling your house you are most likely going to buy another place to live. If prices are higher in the Spring, then you will also pay more for your next house. You may sell for less at this time of year but you will also pay less. If your end-goal is to buy another house, then understand that selling is just a step n the process toward buying. You will be ready to act as soon as houses come on the market while other buyers are waiting to sell.

So if your house is currently on the market, hang in there; the inconvenience can be worth it. If you are planning to sell, do it now. You'll be ahead of the competition and be ready to move forward.
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If you are ready to buy or sell in Concord, Wayland, Sudbury, or any of the towns west of Boston - call Marilyn at 508-596-3501 or visit www.marilynmessenger.com to see homes for sale in Massachusetts.

Sudbury Home Sales and Prices Continiue to Rise

                      
Sales and prices of single-family homes in Sudbury (MA) continue to rise over this time last year while the number of homes for sale remains about the same. Condominium inventory is less than last year due to the new townhouses that went on the market last year have sold quickly and there are only a few remaining for sale.  Luxury home-buyers continue to have the most choices. Click here for the the latest market market report for Sudbury.

Millennials Becoming Homeowners!

First-Time homeowners at their townhouse in Maynard

Housing wire magazine recently published and article entitled Realtor survey: Millennials are no longer a renter generation. Well, I guess it's a catchy headline but really what's the surprise? Millennials are smart, hard-working people and they want the same things every other generation wanted when they were establishing themselves as self-sufficient adults - financial security and a comfortable place to live where they can have a great quality of life that to enjoy now and in the future.

These happy home-owners (pictured above) closed in September on their first home, a townhouse at Oak Ridge in Maynard and they are so excited about their move. After renting a similar townhouse for a couple of years at Deer Hedge Run in Maynard, like a lot of smart Millennials, they decided it was time to pay their own mortgage instead of their landlord's. With rents going through the roof, and interest rates as low as they are going to be for a long time (the Fed has said they will start going up again by year-end) a lot of younger buyers are coming into the market and Maynard has some great opportunities for townhouses and single-family homes. See homes for sale at www.marilynmessenger.com.

While headlines are focusing on Millennials becoming home-owners, baby-boomers are a large segment of the housing market and they are moving to down-size/simplify, relocate, or change their lifestyles. I recently worked with a couple who owned a two-family house in the city. Tired of the congestion and of being a landlord, they wanted a smaller, more manageable single-family house and decided Maynard would be the place to move. They had friends in Maynard, love the open space and the thriving arts community; she is an artist. And like many boomers who may be eligible for retirement, he is still works in Cambridge and is finding the commuter rail service from west Concord an easy commute. They closed on a single-family in Maynard this past month and are happy with their choice.

Home-ownership is not about age. It is about making smart financial decisions and being comfortable in a place where you can do the things that are important to you. It's never too soon or too late to make that move!
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About the author: Marilyn Messenger is a licensed real estate broker, a Certified Residential Specialist and Accredited Buyer Representative associated with Andrew Mitchell and Company in Concord MA. She has been representing buyers and sellers in Maynard, Sudbury, Wayland, Concord, Stow, and the towns west of Boston since 1993. Click here to read what her clients say.

Wayland Sudbury Home Prices Up 20%!

Great news for home sellers in Wayland and Sudbury! The real estate market is back!

Year to date, the median sale price for single-family houses is up 20% over last year. Meanwhile, the number of homes for sale remains historically low making this a great time to put your house on the market if your ready to move.

There are currently 30 single-family properties for sale in Wayland. 8 properties already have accepted offers and are being shown for backup. In Sudbury there are 44 single-family homes for sale and 14 properties have accepted offers. Buyers are moving quickly on houses that are priced and marketed correctly and there is definitely a pent-up demand.

Prices for single-family houses in Wayland range from $325,000 for a 2 bedroom, 1 bath ranch-style home on a fairly busy road, to $9,300,000 for a 23 room luxury estate on 12+ acres of land. The median list price in Wayland is $1,220,000. The prices range with the most opportunities is $1,000,000 to $1,499,999; there are 10 properties for sale.

Prices in Sudbury range from $429,000 for a 3 bedroom, 1 bath ranch-style home on a side street, to $3,495,000 for 13 hilltop estate on 7+ acres with it's own 3 par mini golf course for practice. The median price in Sudbury is $950,000. As in Wayland, the price range with the most opportunities is $1,000,000 to $1,499,999. Many of the luxury homes in Sudbury have been on the market for a year or longer; some of these sellers may be ready to negotiate. See homes for sale.

Sudbury and Wayland also have some excellent choices for condominiums including new townhouses. If you are thinking about buying new construction, remember, the real estate agent at the site is working in the best interest of the developer. If you want a buyers agent to work on your behalf, do not visit the site without your agent as you will lose your right to representation. Contact me for additional information about buying new construction.

See the full market updates at http://www.marilynmessenger.com and contact me if you're thinking about selling, buying or both.

Wayland Real Estate Report - Prices Up in 2013; Current Shortage of Houses for Sale!

2013 was a very positive year for home sellers in Wayland!

The median single-family house sale price was $612,000, approximately 13% higher than the 2012 median.

There were 80 closed sales; slighter fewer than in 2012. And it took less time sell a house.Click here for details.

Currently there are only 20 single-family houses for sale in Wayland. Last year there were 33. List prices range from $374,900 to $9,300,000. The median list price, $997,000 is higher than last year at this time when it was $939,000. The average list price is $1,668,845, also higher than last year.

"The early bird catches the worm"! If you want to sell your house, this is a great time to put it on the market. Buyers are waiting for listings so why wait for the competition?

Home-buyers, be prepared to move forward if you find a house that fits your needs. While can be difficult to make a decision if you have only seen one or two houses, if you wait you run the risk of not finding another house within your budget. As the spring market progresses, you will have more competition and limited supply will cause prices to go up. Additionally, there is a lot of discussion about mortgage interest rates going up too, further decreasing you purchasing power. Click here to contact an experience buyer agent/broker to help you set up a "game-plan" to put you in a winning position.

Sellers, it's easy to have unrealistic expectations in a "sellers' market". However, correct pricing is still the key to getting your property sold. As good a the market was in Wayland in 2013, there were 146 price changes on 89 single-family properties; the average price change was -7.51%. And, there were 40 "expired" listings; these are houses that did not sell during the listing contract period.
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Wayland Housing Market Update - What's It Mean to You?

Happy First-time Homeowners in Wayland!

June Closed Sales: There were 18 closed single-family home sales during June in Wayland compared with 23 in June 2012. Sale prices ranged from $390,000 to $1,220; the median sale price was $669,500, up from $507,000. The average sale price was $731,972, also up from June 2012 when it was $594,000.

Keep in mind that it takes approximately 30 to 60 days to close a sale. The buying decisions for properties that closed in June were made in April and May at the peak of the Spring market. Summer is a different market.

New listings in June: the number of single-family homes that came on the market in Wayland during June was almost the same as in June 2012 – 23; 22 in June 2012. Of the 23, there are only 9 that are fully active. 2 have accepted offers with contingencies waiting to clear, 10 are under agreement, 3 have already closed, and one of the listings has expired.

Current: As in most places, there are fewer homes on the market than last year at this time (8/1); there are 64 single-family homes for sale compared with 79 on 9/1/2012. List prices range from $219,900 for a 5 room house with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathroom to $11,800,000 luxury estate with 28 rooms including with a guest house, and barn on 11+ acres surrounded by conservation land. See the listings at www.WaylandHomeSales.com

The current median list price in Wayland is $822.000; last year on 8/1 the median list price in Wayland was $735,500. As in Sudbury, the price range with the most choices is one million to 1.499 million – there are 13 for sale. The average time on the market for these properties is 140 days; some of these sellers may be ready to make a deal and buyer, you have less competition - everything is on sale in August!

Condominiums (townhouses and garden-apartment style): There were 4 closed sales of condominiums in Wayland during June; there were 10 in June 2012. Sale prices were higher this year. The median sale price in June 2013 was $500,000 up from $456,250 in June 2012.

Current: there are 16 units for sale in Wayland compared with 34 last year at this time. List prices range from $279,900 for 3 bedrooms, 1 bath half-duplex, to $1,199,000 for a 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath luxury townhome at The Field. The median price for a condominium in Wayland is $662,450 up from $665,000 on 8/1/2012.

What's it mean to you?Price is key even in a hot market. Homes sellers who price their houses correctly are getting offers, multiple offers in some cases, and are selling quickly, sometimes for over asking; while those who were overly optimistic and went on the market too high are taking longer and they are reducing their prices. There were 23 price changes on 21 properties in Wayland during June. The average change was -4.26%.

People who are serious about buying are prepared and acting quickly, especially any who’ve already missed out on a house they wanted. Being prepared is more important than ever, however, it is still important to think things through and not to make costly mistakes like waiving the home inspection or offering more than you can comfortably afford. Contact me if you want an experienced buyer agent/broker to navigate you through the process. My clients have been able to get the house they want without over-paying.

For people who own a home and are not planning to move anytime soon, higher sale prices mean more equity in your property. Maybe you've been trying to refinance or take out an equity line to do some updates but your house wouldn't appraise. Mortgage interest rates are still historically low and this may be your window of opportunity. This is also a good time to consider a vacation home or income property. Prices are going up everywhere so why wait?

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Want to know more, call Marilyn at 508-596-3501.

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May Median Home Sale Prices - Wayland, Sudbury, Maynard, Concord & Stow MA

 

Contrary to national and Massachusetts housing reports of surging prices in May 2013, median prices for closed sales of single-family homes in Sudbury, and Stow MA were actually lower than they were in May 2012. However, the number of homes sold was higher in Wayland and Stow; in Sudbury there was only one less closed sale.

Concord and Maynard reported substantially higher median prices than in May 2012. The median sale price in Concord was $816,500 up from $649,900 in May 2012. The median sale price in Maynard for May 2013 was $292,500, up from $212,250 which was the lowest in several years.

As in most places, the number of single-family homes for sale in Wayland, Sudbury, Maynard, Stow, and Concord is lower than it was last year and houses that are price correctly are selling very quickly, sometimes within a day or 2 with multiple offers for higher than asking price; while others are selling for asking price, and there are still some that are selling for less than asking.

Buyers need to be prepared to step up and move quickly and having the right* buyer agent/broker on your side can make a big difference for you. (*not all agents who call themselves a buyer agent are trained to represent your interests in the current market. Encouraging buyers to pay over asking and waiving contingencies may not be the best advice in every situation. Work with a broker who knows the ins and outs of the market you are in.)

Even with the hot market, price is still important and we are still seeing price adjustments and homes with expired listing contracts.

See the full market reports for Wayland, Sudbury, Concord, Maynard, and Stow at www.marilynmessenger.com or contact Marilyn 508-596-3501 for answers to your home buying and selling questions.

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Sudbury MA (01776) - July Sales Up from 2007!

Welcome to the market conditions report for Sudbury MA. Here's what's going on: there are currently 115 active single-family home listings and of those 12 already have accepted offers waiting for contingencies to clear, so really there are only 105 that are fully available. Average time on the market for current listings is 173 days - last year at this time it was 153. There are also 25 single-family homes with sales pending. MORE...

Tour Sudbury MA 01776

http://www.marilynmessenger.com/ for the latest market reports for Sudbury, Wayland, Weston, Maynard, and Hudson. Complete MLS listings with addresses and maps, news and information for buyers and sellers.