Columbus Day Sales in Full Swing - Houses Too!

Yes, retail stores are starting their holiday sales on Columbus Day! Too soon? Well, maybe, but not for homeowners who want to sell their houses and homebuyers who want move before the holidays or at least before the winter...who wants to be moving in the snow and ice?

Serious sellers who are putting their houses on the market now need to make sure they are pricing their homes realistically and those who have been on the market for a while and over estimated what buyers would be willing to pay need to reduce their prices; and many are doing that. We're seeing price reductions everyday in towns where you may not expect it - Concord, Weston, Newton, Arlington, Wayland, etc.. Luxury home buyers have some especially good opportunities right now. If you are planning to buy a house and want to be in for the holidays or soon after, Columbus Day is the day to get going!

Unlike shopping for clothing, electronics, mattresses, or even a car where you can get same day
pickup or take possession within a couple of days, it takes time to close on a house. If you're selling you need to get the house ready and your agent needs time to market the property in order to secure the right buyer. If you are buying, you need to contract with a buyer agent, decide on a property, do your due diligence, have your home inspection, have your attorney review documents and have your mortgage approved and cleared to close.

 The timeline from offer acceptance to closing on a home is generally 45 to 60 days. Some lenders can get everything done in 30 days if all of your paperwork is in order and the appraisal can be completed quickly, but that is too stressful for most buyers and most offer 45 to 60 days. Even cash deals can take a couple of weeks - title searches and paperwork still need to be completed by attorneys, etc.

The Fall real estate market is in process and if you want to be home for the holidays, take a page from retailers and start now. Oh and about those great retail sales, it's a good idea to hold off on your purchases and not run up debt on your credit cards. Lenders don't like to see a lot of new debt when they are reviewing your eligibility for a mortgage. They'll be plenty of bargains, especially on home-goods, after the holidays... and you'll have a great time filling your new home! Check out homes for sale and contact me if you'd like to be home for the holidays - https://www.marilynmessenger.com

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About Marilyn - https://www.marilynmessenger.com/recommendations-for-marilyn-messenger

Summer Mark-Downs in August - Appliances, Furniture, Clothing...And Houses Too!

August is mark-down time! ! Appliances, home furnishings, back to school items, clothing, gas grills, air conditioners...just about everything goes on sale in August making it a great time to get the deal you've been waiting for and that may include the dream home you've had your eye on but thought the price was a too high for you to make an offer.

Sure, the housing market is still hot and there are some bidding wars happening and buyers need to be prepared to step up, but as hot as the market may be, things are slowing down. August is always the time of year when we see price reductions. Sellers who were overly optimistic when they priced their houses finally recognize that they may not sell for the amount they wanted and are ready adjust their expectations. They know that they've missed out on the buyers who needed to be in for the start of the school year and if they are serious about moving, they will do what is necessary.

Back in May, I wrote a post entitled  "Price Reductions in a Hot Market" that talked about the fact that price reductions were happening and some of the reasons why. Many of those houses have sold but others still have not. There were sellers who held off adjusting their prices and waited until July and going into August are ready to make a deal! And by the way, you may be surprised to hear that these reductions are happening in towns you never thought you would see them in - Concord, Sudbury, Wayland, Weston, and even Newton!

Concord - 87 price reductions during the 12 months ending 7-30-2018

Sudbury - 127 Price Reductions during 12 months ending 7-30-2018

So whether you were one of the many buyers who lost out to higher bids in the Spring or just starting to look and wondering if you'll be able to get an offer accepted, this is the time! Remember though, markets change continuously and come mid-September, they'll be a whole new group of buyers competing again. If you want to take advantage of August sale month, visit www.MarilynMessenger.com where you can see homes for sale and contact me to talk about which sellers might be ready to make a deal!