These 4 Negotiating Tips Can Help You Sell for Top Dollar
Receiving your first offer is one of the most exciting parts of selling your condo or home. And while it might seem like the hard work is finally over, the negotiation process is actually just getting started.
Even in a seller’s market, negotiating with a buyer can require quite a bit of time, skill, and guidance from your agent. However, with the right strategies, you can remain in the driver’s seat and maximize your profits.
Here’s How to Negotiate with Potential Buyers
When buyers submit an offer, they’re trying to get the best possible price, secure specific contingencies and financing, and close on their ideal timeline. As a seller, you’ll want to take their needs into consideration—but that doesn’t mean you have to give in to every concession.
Ready to hone your negotiation skills? Here are four easy tips to help you leverage a deal that gets you the price you want while keeping your buyer happy.
Review every offer with your agent
Even if you have some selling experience, it can be hard to decipher all the elements of an offer. Most offers are just a small part of a purchase and sale agreement, which includes everything from price to contingencies to deadlines, so it’s important to review every detail with your agent.
While it might be tempting to decline any offers below your asking price, you still want to consider the bigger picture. It may be worth sacrificing some equity for fewer contingencies or a cash deal. Your agent can guide you through the pros and cons of each offer, as well as answer any questions.
Don’t compromise on your must-haves
Fortunately, low inventory and rising prices have given sellers a distinct advantage in today’s market. That means you probably won’t have to give up a lot of your must-haves—like a certain price or closing date—to secure your sale.
While it’s okay to drive a hard bargain, you don’t want to appear unreasonable to buyers. In some situations, it’s common courtesy to agree to certain contingencies (such as a home inspection), offer credits for repairs, or even pay a portion of their closing costs.
Make a clear counteroffer
If you receive an offer that isn’t quite what you want, you have a few options. Most sellers choose to respond with a counteroffer, which proposes modified terms that are more beneficial to them.
The biggest factor to consider is price—if a buyer offers less than you’re willing to accept, try countering with a more realistic number. However, you’ll also want to take financing, contingencies, and timing into account. For example, you may want to ask a buyer for a different closing date or say no to excessive contingencies, as they can slow down the transaction. Ultimately, the ball is in your court, so it’s worth weighing different options with your agent.
Don’t be afraid to say no
Generally, you should always submit a counteroffer to every reasonable offer. However, if it becomes clear that a buyer isn’t willing to budge on your deal-breakers, don’t be afraid to say no. It’s also best to automatically decline any lowball offers that are around 30% less than your list price.
While it may seem counterintuitive to turn down an offer, it’s not worth negotiating with someone who isn’t serious about your condo or home. And because the market is extremely competitive right now, it probably won’t take long to find a buyer who’s willing to pay the right price.
Thinking of Selling Your Condo or Home Soon?
If you’re looking for the right agent to guide you through the negotiation process, we’d love to lend a helping hand! Get in touch with us today at 734-761-3060 or info@bouma.com to learn the ins and outs of selling your condo or home—we’re always on hand to answer any questions you might have.
Turn to an Expert for the Best Advice, Especially in 2021
As we approach the anniversary of the hardships we’ve faced through this pandemic and the subsequent recession, it’s normal to reflect on everything that’s changed and wonder what’s ahead for 2021. While there are signs of economic recovery as vaccines are being issued, we still have a long way to go. It’s at times like these we want exact information about anything we’re doing. That information brings knowledge, and this gives us a sense of relief and comfort in uncertain times.
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a condo or home today, the same need for information is very real. But, because it’s such a big step in our lives, that desire for clear information is even greater in the buying or selling process. Given the current level of overall anxiety, we want that advice to be truly perfect. The challenge is, no one can give you “perfect” advice. Experts can, however, give you the best advice possible.
Let’s say you need an attorney, so you seek out an expert in the type of law required for your case. When you go to her office, she won’t immediately tell you how the case is going to end or how the judge or jury will rule. If she could, that would be perfect advice. What a good attorney can do, however, is discuss with you the most effective strategies you can take. She may recommend one or two approaches she believes will be best for your case.
She’ll then leave you to make the decision on which option you want to pursue. Once you decide, she can help you put a plan together based on the facts at hand. She’ll help you achieve the best possible resolution and make whatever modifications in the strategy are necessary to guarantee that outcome. That’s an example of the best advice possible.
The role of a real estate professional is just like the role of a lawyer. An agent can’t give you perfect advice because it’s impossible to know exactly what’s going to happen throughout the transaction – especially in this market.
An agent can, however, give you the best advice possible based on the information and situation at hand, guiding you through the process to help you make the necessary adjustments and best decisions along the way. An agent will lead you to the best offer available. That’s exactly what you want and deserve.
Bottom Line
If you’re thinking of buying or selling a condo or home this year, let’s connect to make sure you get the best advice possible. We have access to all of the real estate data out there and are constantly analyzing it so we can give our clients the best advice possible. Contact us today at The Bouma Group at info@bouma.com or 734-761-3060 and we’ll help make your real estate goals a reality.
Why Selling Your Condo on Your Own in 2021 Is a Mistake
There are many benefits to working with a real estate professional when selling your house or condo. During challenging times, like what we face today, it becomes even more important to have an expert you trust to help guide you through the process. If you’re considering selling on your own, known in the industry as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO), it’s critical to consider the following items.
1. Your Safety Is a Priority
Your safety should always come first, and that’s more crucial than ever given the current health situation in our country. When you FSBO, it is incredibly difficult to control entry into your home. A real estate professional will have the proper protocols in place to protect not only your belongings, but your health and well-being too. From regulating the number of people in your home at one time to ensuring proper sanitization during and after a showing, and even facilitating virtual tours, real estate professionals are equipped to follow the latest industry standards recommended by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to help protect you and your potential buyers.
2. A Powerful Online Strategy Is a Must to Attract a Buyer
Recent studies from NAR have shown that, even before COVID-19, the first step 43% of all buyers took when looking for a home or condo was to search online. Throughout the process, that number jumps to 97%. Today, those numbers have grown exponentially. Most real estate agents have developed a strong Internet and social media strategy to promote the sale of your condo.
3. There Are Too Many Negotiations
Here are just a few of the people you’ll need to negotiate with if you decide to FSBO:
- The buyer, who wants the best deal possible
- The buyer’s agent, who solely represents the best interest of the buyer
- The inspection company, which works for the buyer and will almost always find challenges with the house
- The appraiser, if there is a question of value
As part of their training, agents are taught how to negotiate every aspect of the real estate transaction and how to mediate the emotions felt by buyers looking to make what is probably the largest purchase of their lives.
4. You Won’t Know if Your Purchaser Is Qualified for a Mortgage
Securing a buyer is the first step. Making sure they can afford to buy it is just as important. As a FSBO, it’s almost impossible to be involved in the mortgage process of your buyer. A real estate professional is trained to ask the appropriate questions and, in most cases, will be intimately aware of the progress being made toward a purchaser’s mortgage commitment. You need someone who’s working with lenders every day to guarantee your buyer makes it to the closing table.
5. FSBOing Is Becoming More Difficult from a Legal Standpoint
The documentation involved in the selling process is growing dramatically as more and more disclosures and regulations become mandatory. In an increasingly litigious society, the agent acts as a third-party to help the seller avoid legal jeopardy. This is one of the major reasons why the percentage of people FSBOing has dropped from 19% to 8% over the last 20+ years.
6. You Net More Money When Using an Agent
Many homeowners think they’ll save the real estate commission by selling on their own. Realize that the main reason buyers look at FSBOs is because they also believe they can save the real estate agent’s commission. The seller and buyer can’t both save on the commission.
A study by Collateral Analytics revealed that FSBOs don’t actually save anything by forgoing the help of an agent. In some cases, the seller may even net less money from the sale. The study found the difference in price between a FSBO and an agent-listed home was an average of 6%. One of the main reasons for the price difference is effective exposure:
“Properties listed with a broker that is a member of the local MLS will be listed online with all other participating broker websites, marketing the home to a much larger buyer population. And those MLS properties generally offer compensation to agents who represent buyers, incentivizing them to show and sell the property and again potentially enlarging the buyer pool.”
The more buyers that view a home, the greater the chance a bidding war will take place, potentially driving the price higher, too.
Bottom Line
Listing on your own leaves you to manage the entire transaction by yourself. Why do that when you can hire an agent and still net the same amount of money? Before you decide to take on the challenge of selling your house or condo alone, let’s connect to discuss your options. Contact us today at 734-761-3060 or info@bouma.com, we’d love to talk with you about your move!
Ann Arbor Condo Report – June 2020
Listed and Sold Inventory Remain Balanced
With the start of summer, the inventory for Ann Arbor condos have maintained their balance. Last June, 68 condos were both listed and sold, and although there was a 14.7% decline on the whole this June, 58 condos were listed and were also sold. The average listing price has increased 6% from $316,090 to $335,158. And as for the average selling price, it experienced a decline, $298,525 versus $272,911 now – an 8.6% difference. Unfortunately for sellers, the average days on market has drastically increased by 112% to 53 days.
Examining the year-to-date statistics, we see an overall decline in all areas. The amount of newly added listings has dropped by 27.8% from 421 condos to 304 entered so far this year. And for these condos the ALP is $326,550, a 4.3% decrease from $341,102 previously. A total of 168 condos have been sold thus far, and compared to the 293 last year at this time, this is a significant 37.5% decline. Thankfully, the ASP has seen a lesser difference of 7.7%, from $291,760 to $269,337.
Although the future of the condo market may seem uncertain, let the experts with The Bouma Group help with all of your questions and concerns. You can contact us at (888)581-6923 or email info@condohotline.com. Learn more about Ann Arbor condos here!
What Are the Experts Saying About Future Condo Prices?
A worldwide pandemic and an economic recession have had a tremendous effect on the nation. The uncertainty brought about by both has made predicting consumer behavior nearly impossible. For that reason, forecasting prices has become extremely difficult.
Normally, there’s a simple formula to determine the future price of any item: calculate the supply of that item in ratio to the demand for that item. In housing right now, demand far exceeds supply. Mortgage applications to buy a home or condo just rose to the highest level in 11 years while inventory of homes and condos for sale is at (or near) an all-time low. That would usually indicate strong appreciation for values as we move throughout the year.
Some experts, however, are not convinced the current rush of purchasers is sustainable. Ralph McLaughlin, Chief Economist at Haus, explained in their June 2020 Hausing Market Forecast why there is concern:
“The upswing that we’ll see this summer is a result of pent-up demand from homebuyers and supply-in-progress from homebuilders that has simply been pushed off a few months. However, after this pent-up demand goes away, the true economic scarring due to the pandemic will begin to affect the housing market as the tide of pent-up demand goes out.”
The virus and other challenges currently impacting the industry have created a wide range of thoughts regarding the future of home prices. Here’s a list of analysts and their projections, from the lowest depreciation to the highest appreciation:
- CoreLogic: Year-Over-Year decline of -1.5%
- Haus: Year-Over-Year decline of -1%
- Zillow: Year-Over-Year change is forecasted to bottom out at -0.7%.
- Home Price Expectation Survey: Decline of -0.3% in 2020
- Fannie Mae: Increase of 0.4% in 2020
- Freddie Mac: Increase of 2.3% in 2020
- Zelman & Associates: Increase of 3.0% in 2020
- National Association of Realtors: Increase of 3.8% in 2020
- Mortgage Bankers Association: Increase of 4.0% in 2020
We can garner two important points from this list:
- There is no real consensus among the experts.
- No one projects prices to crash like they did in 2008.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re thinking of buying or selling a condo or house, know that prices will not change dramatically this year, even with all of the uncertainty we’ve faced in 2020. If you’d like more information or to learn about your specific condo or home value, contact us, the Ann Arbor Condo specialists today at 734-761-3060 or info@condohotline.com.
Condo Buying Has Gone Virtual!
Today’s everyday reality is pretty different than it looked just a few weeks ago. We’re learning how to do a lot of things in new ways, from how we work remotely to how we engage with our friends and neighbors. Almost everything right now is shifting to a virtual format. One of the big changes we’re adapting to is the revisions to the common real estate transaction, which all vary by state and locality. Technology, however, is making it possible for many of us to continue on the quest for homeownership, an essential need for all.
Here’s a look at some of the elements of the process that are changing (at least in the near-term), due to stay-at-home orders and social distancing, and what you may need to know about each one if you’re thinking of buying or selling a home sooner rather than later. (more…)
What If I Need to Sell My Home or Condo Now? What Can I Do?
Every day that passes, people have a need to buy and sell condos and homes. That doesn’t stop during the current pandemic. If you’ve had a major life change recently, whether with your job or your family situation, you may be in a position where you need to sell – and fast. While you probably feel like timing with the current pandemic isn’t on your side, making a move is still possible. Rest assured, with technology at your side and fewer sellers on the market in most areas, you can list your condo and make it happen safely and effectively, especially when following the current COVID-19 guidelines set forth by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
You may have a new baby, a new employment situation, a parent who moved in with you, you just built a home that’s finally ready to move into, or some other major part of your life that has changed in recent weeks. Buyers have those needs too, so rest assured that someone is likely looking for a place just like yours. (more…)
Ann Arbor Condo Report – February 2020
Lower Prices for Ann Arbor Complexes
In the month of February, Ann Arbor condo units experienced lower prices overall. The average listing price decreased slightly by 3% from $361,306 to $350,632. More listings were entered this past month though, last February had 43 while most recently 52 condos were added, a 21% increase. As for sold condos, 31 were sold which is an 8.8% decrease compared to the 34 sold previously. There has been a 4.3% decline in the average sale price, from $294,208 to $281,585 currently. Condo sellers will be excited with the 33.8% decrease in the average days on the market to 43 days.
As for the year-to-date statistics, there has been a considerable increase in the amount of listings from 81 to 110 units, a 35.8% change. The ALP overal is $363,710, risen slightly by 4.3% from last year’s ALP of $348,707. So far this year 62 condos have been sold, and in comparison to the 70 condos prior this is an 11.4% decline. The ASP has decreased by 6.1% from $298,639 to $280,296 cumulatively now.
For all of your condo questions and quandries, contact the condo experts with The Bouma Group at 734-761-3060 or email info@condohotline.com. Check back here for more updated information on Ann Arbor condos!
Ann Arbor Condominium Report – September 2019
Listing Prices Remain Consistent
Overall, there has not been much variance in the statistics for Ann Arbor condos compared to the 2018 numbers. In the month of September, listing prices declined minimally from $322,848 last year to $315,491 currently. 62 condos were listed for sale and this is a 19.2% increase compared to the 52 sold last September. There was a 12% decrease in the amount of sold listings this past month with 44 units being sold compared to the 50 that were sold previously. The average sale price was $285,726 versus the ASP of $233,240 in September 2018, a 22.5% decline. Unfortunately for sellers, the average days on the market has drastically risen to 64 days, which is more than one and a half times longer than last September’s 24 days.
Looking at the year-to-date statistics, we can see that most of the numbers have remained similar to before. A total of 624 listings have been entered thus far, and this is a minimal decline from the 629 last year at this time. The average listing price has decreased 4.7% to $330,939 from $347,334. Despite the recent decline in sales this September, the total amount of sold condos has gone from 427 to 451, a 5.6% rise. As for the ASP, there has only been a slight decrease in prices, $288,938 versus $283,290.
The Bouma Group is here to help with all of your condo needs, you can contact the experts at 734-761-3060 or via email info@condohotline.com. Stay tuned for more updated information on Ann Arbor Condos!
Ann Arbor Condo Report – March 2019
Spring Inventory Sees a Spike
If you’re looking to buy an Ann Arbor condo, now is the time to do so! There has been a large increase in new listings, from 69 units to 90, resulting in a 30% increase. Further, listing prices have also experienced a 13.2% drop from $377,729 to $327,774 this past month. Unfortunately new inventory has been slower to exit the market, with only 29 condos selling comparative to the 35 last March – a 17% decrease. Unfortunately, the average days on the market is 52 days, a massive 160% rise. There has been a 9% increase in selling prices though, $278,132 versus $303,492.
Looking at the year-to-date statistics, there has been 171 units sold since last March, a 9% increase from the 147 the previous year. Cumulatively, the average listing price is $337,421, which is a 8% in comparison to $367,749 to the year prior. Thus far, 99 condos have been sold and last year 80 were sold at this time – a 23.7% increase. There was a 3.7% in the ASP from $288,887 to $300,060.
Whether you are looking to buy a condo or are considering selling, contact the condo specialists with The Bouma Group at (734)761-3060 or email info@condohotline.com. Stay up-to-date on all of your Ann Arbor condo needs by checking back here!