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The photo's aren't terrible. I've seen a lot worse. It's tough to get good photos when the rooms are not that big to begin with. I don't think a professional photographer is necessary, but you should take 10 photos of each room and pick the best photo for each one. And not 10 photos from the same position. Try to get a shot from outside the room, without showing the door jam. try different angels, good photos is what's going to get people to want to see more, thus more showings. They should be the best you can make them. If the rooms aren't bright enough, make them brighter, put in 100 watt bulbs if you have to just to take the shots. For my house photos of the dining room were washed out, the sunlight really affected the photos I took, so I took some more in the evening with the lights on high. The evening photos turned out better and I used them in my ad.
I actually like the outside photo's of the third house, the living room is a pretty good shot too, but they really should have moved the massage table and the exercise machine first for the master bedroom. The other bedrooms are not good though.
And the tight shots are crying out for a wide angle lens to open up the spaces.
I'm no hot shot photographer, but I wouldn't post photos like these with any expectation of them forwarding the marketing or sale of the property.
It would be difficult to get a buyer into the property unless the price just screams value. Or, "Lowball Me!"
From a buyer's perspective, taking a look at those listings, if I had to pick one I would go with 22 Jasmine. What looks to be a larger and much more updated kitchen, and a pretty cool backyard with a pool. No not everyone wants a pool but they usually make a house more expensive from what I've seen so the fact that that house is only $6K more than yours makes it seem like a better deal (especially with the nicer kitchen).
I agree with the previous comment that you need better (and brighter) pictures. It looks like a lot of them are really only showing half of the room.
I do think yours is probably better than 10 Mistletoe though, mainly due to the price.
For some reason the link you posted didn't give a lot size for your house (but did for the other 2), but I looked on realtor.com and it was on there. But I would just make sure that is listed since some people could do a search with a minimum lot size and it may not come up.
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Originally Posted by camaro69
Homes in my development have either sold or are selling at a higher price.
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Originally Posted by camaro69
The other homes that have sold are diff models that were priced much higher.
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Originally Posted by camaro69
a home across from us sold for $350,000. Not even the same model and much smaller than ours.
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Originally Posted by camaro69
The home in my previous posting at 10 Mistletoe might have a buyer and that home is listed for $399,000. That home minus the extention is the same as mine. But the kitchen is older and so are the bathrooms.
Other homes in my development (larger homes) have sold within the last year have gone for $425,000 and up to $462,000.
I like how at first you mentioned that homes in your neighborhood have sold for higher prices, but it wasn't until later that you said they were larger. But when you brought up that something also sold for a lower price, you immediately said it was smaller. Both the lower and higher priced sales can probably be used as comparables, but of course the buyer and their agent will focus on the lower priced ones...so who knows, maybe your house is priced about right...has anything sold recently that actually was the same size as yours? But yes, it's good that at least something is selling.
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Originally Posted by NJGOAT
A couple comments based on what I've read so far...
1. The houses that did sell were these FSBO's or were these traditional agent represented properties? If you have a case where the agent represented properties are selling and you honestly believe that your price and home are good and comparable, then that would appear to perhaps answer a question.
2. If the houses that sold were agent represented, who were they? Do you have a case like there are in many developments where one agency seems to dominate? If so, putting out some feelers with this agency and talking to them about listing and what they think might not be a bad idea.
3. Lowering the price to go FSBO and then raising it if you go with an agent is a BAD move. The old listing prices are readily available online these days and people will start looking at the lower price (even when agent listed at a higher price) as being more of what your starting price is. If I was a buyer and I saw that, my mind would be saying, $370k is really where the seller is at, come in lower and negotiate up to that point assuming $370k is a good deal.
4. It is a buyers market. If they don't like your house for whatever reason they are moving on to the next one that may have what they want. Buyers don't need to "see the potential" because the realized potential may exist down the block or across town for a similar price. The things you see as nice or sufficient for your home may just not speak to your market. If EVERYONE wants granite and that is the major hang up, maybe that is something you can change and recapture in the price. Sometimes lowering the price is not good enough in that situation as people don't want to be hassled with making the changes themselves.
5. Speaking of market, do you know what kind of people are buying in that area and what they are looking for? Staging and marketing your house to that kind of buyer is important, but it always ultimately ends up back at price.
Overall, I think you should get a realtor that is familiar with the market and find out what it is about your house that is making it less attractive to buyers.
Great post NJGOAT! I especially agree with not lowering it to go FSBO and then raising it back up if you use a realtor.
The staging on misteltoe are bad and the pictures are "MEH" at best on all of them. The Jasmine is the nicest IMO. I would go in at $360 first offer on the Jasmine and probably wouldn't want to pay more than $370. Problem is who wants to live in old bridge?
Right, only way for FSBO to get exposure, as we do not have access to that coveted holy grail. MLS, lol .
Sorry, Camaro69, didn't mean to hijack your post. Op..You have a very nice home with good bones, but it is a little dated, needs some staging and better photos, hence, you may even have to spend a few dollars to make it pop/stand out in order to get more traffic and sell quicker at market value. PS.I don't mind the Corian countertops either, that is what I have and prefer but when it's time to sell, I will replace them with granite, Best!
Ok, I'll bite again.
Where is it dated? Nothing in the house is older than 5 years. And if 5 years is dated then a lot of home sellers are screwed.
Seriously, I don't mind the comments (ouch) as I'm trying to sell and maybe not seeing it from a buyers point of mind.
I guess being a little older here, (meaning me) there are a number of items in general of homes that we've seen that while they need to be changed, it wouldn't be a problem. You need to see beyond, "oh, I don't like the color of that room".
What I'm seeing on HGTV is that the young people today want to buy without doing anything to the house. IMO they have no vision of what it could be.
Where is it dated? Nothing in the house is older than 5 years. And if 5 years is dated then a lot of home sellers are screwed.
Seriously, I don't mind the comments (ouch) as I'm trying to sell and maybe not seeing it from a buyers point of mind.
I guess being a little older here, (meaning me) there are a number of items in general of homes that we've seen that while they need to be changed, it wouldn't be a problem. You need to see beyond, "oh, I don't like the color of that room".
What I'm seeing on HGTV is that the young people today want to buy without doing anything to the house. IMO they have no vision of what it could be.
The bathrooms look a bit dated, although I do agree with you that shouldn't be too hard to fix, but one of them also looks to have a somewhat strange layout. The carpeting in the dining room and one of the rooms with the fireplace looks pretty old too, but that could be the dark pictures again...that other room with the fireplace looks like a dungeon. But as was mentioned before, if there are other houses where that kind of stuff doesn't have to be done, why would someone choose your house? I'm not seeing anything that sets your house apart.
Where is it dated? Nothing in the house is older than 5 years. And if 5 years is dated then a lot of home sellers are screwed.
Seriously, I don't mind the comments (ouch) as I'm trying to sell and maybe not seeing it from a buyers point of mind.
I guess being a little older here, (meaning me) there are a number of items in general of homes that we've seen that while they need to be changed, it wouldn't be a problem. You need to see beyond, "oh, I don't like the color of that room".
What I'm seeing on HGTV is that the young people today want to buy without doing anything to the house. IMO they have no vision of what it could be.
Ok, I am going to nitpick. The color of the carpeting in the dining room is too dark, maybe it's the photo, but nonetheless I do not like the flooring in there and the hanging lamps are dated. Also, seems like you have berber/commercial carpeting in the other rooms, I don't like those either. If I was thinking about buying this house, I would be looking to replace all the carpeting. Kitchen is nice and the fireplaces, I like the hardwood floors, however, if they are laminate, then I would be looking to replace those too and the wallpaper. The two lamps on the wall in a bedroom restrict the layout.
Your furniture is dated, but I think most people could see beyond that, but not the things they'd have to replace, however, if you can afford it, have it staged, if not, I can't see the complete layout but you may want to rearrange the furniture in the bedroom and dining rooms, and move the huge TV away from the fireplace, put away all personal pictures and clutter, it is best to have nothing than too many items cluttering an area. Try and see if you could move the china cabinet to another area in that room or get rid of it, lol, j/k, it is too close to the dining table, these areas lack flow. Lastly, your major problem is, tada: Photos, they are really bad and dark, a disservice to the home. Remove the small tv off that table in the bedroom, if possible put it away, pick up shoes, things lying in corners and retake photos during daylight hours, you want the home to look bright.
The bathrooms look a bit dated, although I do agree with you that shouldn't be too hard to fix, but one of them also looks to have a somewhat strange layout. The carpeting in the dining room and one of the rooms with the fireplace looks pretty old too, but that could be the dark pictures again...that other room with the fireplace looks like a dungeon. But as was mentioned before, if there are other houses where that kind of stuff doesn't have to be done, why would someone choose your house? I'm not seeing anything that sets your house apart.
In a tough sellers market, this is another option for a FSBO to consider when listing it in the MLS, instead of a 5-6% split commission to a full time agent, the property would garner more traffic when offering a competitive rate to buyers agent, the likelihood of an agent skipping my fsbo disappears, money is always a good incentive.
But you said that the buyer finds the houses online & gives the list to the agent. So which is it? Does the higher fee to buyer agents cause more agents to show the house, or do buyer agents just show the houses their clients find & ask to see?
But you said that the buyer finds the houses online & gives the list to the agent. So which is it? Does the higher fee to buyer agents cause more agents to show the house, or do buyer agents just show the houses their clients find & ask to see?
You're playing semantics on cause and effect. . . I made a general statement that I cannot quantify, so I will narrow it down for you, it's a little of 'all of thee above'.
The carpeting throughout the house is within 3 years old. So I'm guessing it is the pictures. Both bathrooms are also 5 years old.
Like it or not, short sales are still competition. Or are you trying to say that you think it will sell for over the list price?
Also I just noticed your previous post where you said having a pool in your backyard isn't an advantage, and I have to disagree with that one. There's a huge difference between having the privacy of your own pool and swimming in the urine of hundreds of children.
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I made a general statement that I cannot quantify, so I will narrow it down for you, it's a little of 'all of thee above'.
