{ HAPPENING }
SURVIVING INSANITY
Linda Daniels has tips for today’s real estate market TIPS FOR BUYERS 1. Know what you can afford The key components of affordability are what you have saved for a down payment, how much you earn, any debts you may have, and your credit score. Be strategic and know what you can afford. 2. Get pre-approved for your loan A pre-approval letter is a written agreement from your lender to fund your mortgage. Once you know the precise amount of your mortgage, you can calculate the amount you can offer for the house. 3. Be realistic Recognize that you will not likely find everything you want and make a list of what is most important to you. Many properties are selling for well over their asking price, so consider shopping for homes at a lower list price. If you can afford $850,000, identify homes around $750,000 since so many multiple offers are going over asking for $100,000 plus! Repeatedly losing deals can become exhausting.
TIPS FOR SELLERS 1. Price your home competitively Inventory may be low, but for maximum interest and showings, appeal to as much of the buyer pool as possible. Trust your realtor’s expertise and price the home at, or just under market value to generate maximum offers.
With more than four decades in San Diego real estate, Linda Daniels, leader of The Daniels Group at Willis Allen Real Estate in La Jolla, thought she had seen it all. But after this past year with homes selling overnight, and often fetching multiple offers above asking price, Linda simply shakes her head. “Utter insanity,” she sighs. “We must remain calm, overly prepared, and work at lightning speed. Real estate is a full-service job, and in this market, we must be full-service real estate agents!” Linda offers these tips if you are thinking of buying or selling a home. 20
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2. Make your home appealing to buyers Walk through your front door as if the home is not yours and imagine what buyers will notice. Fix the small things that are broken, clear away personal effects, touch up paint, and clean thoroughly. The house’s curb appeal is important because it gives buyers the first impression, so add flowers this spring. As a full-service real estate agent, Linda arranges everything for her clients from decluttering and making repairs to landscaping and staging the property. Her process eliminates the stress of prelisting preparation. 3. Don’t second guess yourself Decide on the minimum sales price you are willing to accept and do not waver. If you get an offer that meets or is over your minimum price, you have succeeded in the goal of selling your house. There is no shortage of real estate agents, but both buyers and sellers should look for a professional with a proven track record and all the knowledge, experience, integrity, resources, tools, and technologies it takes to help them buy or market their house. For more advice, contact The Daniels Group, 858.361.5561; info@thedanielsgroup.com. ✲
