One of the most common questions every homeowner wants to know is how to make sure they maximize their financial reward when selling their home. But how do you set yourself up to ensure that you receive the maximum value for your house?

Here are two keys to ensure that you get the highest price possible.

1. Price it a LITTLE LOWER 

This may seem counterintuitive, but let’s look at this concept for a moment. Many homeowners think that pricing their homes a little OVER market value will leave them with room for negotiation. In actuality, this just dramatically lessens the demand for your house (see chart below).

Instead of the seller trying to ‘win’ the negotiation with one buyer, they should price it so that demand for the home is maximized. By doing this, the seller will not be fighting with a buyer over the price but will instead have multiple buyers fighting with each other over the house.

Realtor.com gives this advice:

“Aim to price your property at or just slightly below the going rate. Today’s buyers are highly informed, so if they sense they’re getting a deal, they’re likely to bid up a property that’s slightly underpriced, especially in areas with low inventory.”

2. Use a Real Estate Professional

This, too, may seem counterintuitive. The seller may think they would make more money if they didn’t have to pay a real estate commission. With this being said, studies have shown that homes typically sell for more money when handled by a real estate professional.

A study by Collateral Analytics, reveals that FSBOs don’t actually save any money, and in some cases may be costing themselves more, by not listing with an agent.

In the study, they analyzed home sales in a variety of markets in 2016 and the first half of 2017. The data showed that:

“FSBOs tend to sell for lower prices than comparable home sales, and in many cases below the average differential represented by the prevailing commission rate.”

The results of the study showed that the differential in selling prices for FSBOs when compared to MLS sales of similar properties is about 5.5%. Sales in 2017 suggest the average price was near 6% lower for FSBO sales of similar properties.

Bottom Line

Price your house at or slightly below the current market value and hire a professional. This will guarantee that you maximize the price you get for your house.  To see what your home might be able to sell for, please click the link below! 

Free Home Price Estimation

Christie Cannon | The Christie Cannon Team | Keller Williams Frisco

469-951-9588 | www.ChristieCannon.com | 4783 Preston Rd # 300 Frisco TX

Housingwire.com's 2018 forecast of the best Real Estate Markets in the US includes only 1 California city!  Viva Las Vegas for the number 1 spot! 

To prepare the list, REALTOR.com analyzed the economics, home sale data, new home & builder activity, & population trends to predict the top 10 markets in 2018 in the United States. 

Our very own Dallas TX real estate market is predicted to take the number 2 spot!  REALTOR.com believes that Dallas, with a median home price of $339,300, will enjoy a 6% increase in sales & 5.6% increase in price.  

For more information on our local real estate market, please contact us!

Christie Cannon | REALTOR
The Christie Cannon Team | Kw Realty
Keller Williams Frisco TX
469-951-9588
www.ChristieCannon.com

Before You Make an Offer, Here Are 4 Tips for Success!

So, you’ve been searching for that perfect house to call a ‘home,’ and you finally found it! The price is right, and in such a competitive market, you want to make sure that you make a good offer so that you can guarantee that your dream of making this house yours comes true!

Freddie Mac covered “4 Tips for Making an Offer” in their Executive Perspective. Here are the 4 tips they covered along with some additional information for your consideration:

1. Understand How Much You Can Afford

“While it’s not nearly as fun as house hunting, fully understanding your finances is critical in making an offer.”

This ‘tip’ or ‘step’ should really take place before you start your home search process.

Getting pre-approved is one of many steps that will show home sellers that you are serious about buying, and will allow you to make your offer with the confidence of knowing that you have already been approved for a mortgage for that amount. You will also need to know if you are prepared to make any repairs that may need to be made to the house (ex: new roof, new furnace).

2. Act Fast

“Even though there are fewer investors, the inventory of homes for sale is also low and competition for housing continues to heat up in many parts of the country.” 

The inventory of homes listed for sale has remained well below the 6-month supply that is needed for a ‘normal’ market. Buyer demand has continued to outpace the supply of homes for sale, causing buyers to compete with each other for their dream homes.

Make sure that as soon as you decide that you want to make an offer, you work with your agent to present it as soon as possible.

3. Make a Solid Offer

Freddie Mac offers this advice to help make your offer the strongest it can be:

“Your strongest offer will be comparable with other sales and listings in the neighborhood. A licensed real estate agent active in the neighborhoods you are considering will be instrumental in helping you put in a solid offer based on their experience and other key considerations such as recent sales of similar homes, the condition of the house and what you can afford.”

Talk with your agent to find out if there are any ways that you can make your offer stand out in this competitive market!

4. Be Prepared to Negotiate

“It’s likely that you’ll get at least one counteroffer from the sellers so be prepared. The two things most likely to be negotiated are the selling price and closing date. Given that, you’ll be glad you did your homework first to understand how much you can afford.

Your agent will also be key in the negotiation process, giving you guidance on the counteroffer and making sure that the agreed-to contract terms are met.”

If your offer is approved, Freddie Mac urges you to “always get an independent home inspection, so you know the true condition of the home.” If the inspector uncovers undisclosed problems or issues, you can discuss any repairs that may need to be made with the seller, or cancel the contract.

Bottom Line 

Whether buying your first home or your fifth, having a local real estate professional who is an expert in their market on your side is your best bet to make sure the process goes smoothly. Let’s talk about how we can make your dreams of homeownership a reality!

Christie Cannon | REALTOR
The Cannon Team
Keller Williams Realty Frisco
469-951-9588
www.ChristieCannon.com

Exceptional custom-built Toll Brothers dream home in sought after Phillips Creek Ranch! Luxurious upgrades throughout! Rich handscraped hardwoods, elegant lighting, dramatic architecture & grand entry designed to impress. Formal dining & executive study. Chef’s Dream massive island kitchen boasts professional grade appliances, stone counters, double ovens & wine fridge. Family great room with surround sound & towering windows. Private master suite & stunning spa bath. 2nd floor enjoys game room & huge media with 7.1 surround sound. 5th bedroom with ensuite bath or second master. Relax on the pergola covered patio overlooking the oversized backyard-perfect for future pool, pets & play! Amazing location & neighborhood amenities! Nestled on a gorgeous oversized lot in the award winning community of Phillips Creek Ranch, featuring more than 100 acres of green space, lakes, an extensive creek system, trails, parks and premier amenities, you will find this stunning 5-bedroom home. Enjoy relaxing evenings on the pergola covered patio overlooking the oversized backyard-perfect for future pool, pets & play! Located in highly desired West Frisco, with easy access to award winning schools, shopping, dining & entertainment.

a.  TX economics remain strong & the “attractiveness” of our cities remains high.

 

b.  Corporate relocations continue to be drawn to our area.

a.  Prices in most market areas are still seeing slight increases; however, the pace of increase has slowed dramatically &/or stabilized in almost every area. 

 

b.  For many months, sellers have been able to “ratchet” up their listing price as each home in the community has sold.  This strategy has proven to reach a limit.  We are now seeing large amounts of price reductions daily.  Likewise, there are an increasing number of homes that are having appraisal issues, where a lender’s independent valuation of a home is coming in less than the contracted sales price. 

 

c.  A strong pricing strategy remains among the most critical aspects of selling a home. 

a.  One of the primary drivers that have fueled real estate’s strong numbers over the past few years has been a low inventory environment.  The inventory in almost all price points and cities is on the rise.

 

We measure inventory in both total number & “month supply”.  Month supply is simply the time it would take to sell the existing inventory if new listings ceased coming on the market.

 

 I'll use Frisco as an example of this increase in inventory.  Frisco’s housing supply has increased every month since December 2016.  In fact, August 2017’s inventory was just under double from December 2016.  This is reflected in August as 1,094 homes listed with 320 homes selling for a 3.8 month supply.  This holds true for most of the surrounding cities as well. 

a.  As you can envision, when inventory increases, days on market also rise.  The increase of days on market often slightly lags the changes to “month supply”.

 

b.  It may be surprising, but the average days on market are as high as 90+ days in some price ranges, even in the most popular markets.

a.  When buyers have more choice, Price, Condition, & Location become key!

a.  Our listings that elect to utilize a smart pricing strategy often still see multiple offers & shorter days on market.  There is always a balance between Days on Market & Price.

b.  Expect to see elevated levels of price competition. Timely price adjustments increase timely closing probability & reduces time on market.

c.  Simply imagine you are purchase a new car.  There are 3x dealerships offering the model & features you want. 1x of the 3 dealerships is offering theirs’ for $5k less.  Most buyer’s are not going to make an offer or negotiate with the 2x at higher prices to see if they can make it work; they will simply go the lowest price dealership first & attempt to negotiate.  Should that fail buyers will move to the higher prices to negotiate.

a.  Higher relative seller/buyer ratios (month’s supply) reflect a more competitive market for sellers.

b.  Having a large number of showings relative to other similar properties without an offer (or with a lot of low offers) is a strong indication of overpricing.  The image below provides an overview of how showings, or lack thereof, can be viewed in terms of pricing strategies:

1.  Expanded our marketing team to include an in-house designer to ensure your home is well prepared & properly marketed.  If you think you need a refresher at this time, let us know and we will gladly arrange a time with our designer to come visit with you at your convenience. She is also reviewing your listing photos, marketing campaigns and sites to help improve wherever we can to gain more buyer interest. 

 2.  Conduct more frequent digital marketing reviews for your home, to ensure our listings continue to capture a larger share of interest from buyers.

3.  Expanded our Inside Sales Agent team to increase our ability to directly call agents & prospective buyers who have expressed interest in your home or previously toured your home.

4.  Increased our digital marketing campaigns to include banner ads& more direct to consumer marketing and re-targeting branding with your home. 

5.  Reverse prospecting (where we contact the agents that have clients searching for your “type” home.)

6.  Increase agent & broker tours and direct agent to agent marketing to better introduce and keep your home in front of the market.

7.  The introduction of Special Financing options available exclusively to our KW clients & our KW listings to assist with incentives to buyers and help you stand out!

Brief:

• Sales of existing single-family homes in Dallas–Fort Worth, TX, during Q1 were on pace to equal or surpass 2016's figures, according to the Dallas Business Journal, making it another record year.
• Prices for those properties are also expected to keep climbing as supply there continues to contract. The market has a 2.2-month inventory of single-family homes, compared to the 6-month stock needed for equilibrium.
• For the first time, the median home price in that market ($236,500 in Q1), was higher than the national median ($232,100 for the quarter) and represented one of the country's largest home-price increases for the period, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Insight:

One of the nation's fastest-growing cities, Dallas is a hotbed for new construction as companies relocate to the area motivated in part by its historically lower costs of doing business and, for employees, cost of living.

A host of projects catering to this uptick in demand are in the works. Earlier this month, Houston-based developer Hines announced plans for a 135-acre "live-work-play" mixed-use complex that will bring 3.5 million square feet of office, residential and retail space to one Dallas suburb. 

In April, developers broke ground on the 262-acre, $1 billion Bayside mixed-use project in Rowlett, TX, that will see an 8-acre lagoon and a 1,000 boat-marina added along Lake Ray Hubbard. The complex will also include 1.5 million square feet of commercial space, a 500-room resort and more than 2,500 condos, apartments, townhomes and single-family residences.

Along Frisco, TX's "$5 billion mile" is the $1.5 billion Frisco Station mixed-use development currently under construction. The 242-acre project will eventually feature 2,400 residential units, a 40-acre medical center, 650 hotel rooms and 300,000 square feet of dining, retail and entertainment space.

The rapid development in Dallas–Fort Worth has analysts worried the area could lose its status as a historically affordable market. As demand picks up and inventory lags, big builders are digging in. Taylor Morrison, for example, has said it intends to grow its presence there, announcing plans in October 2016 for two master-planned communities in the city's northern suburbs. 

Texas' housing boom drove the state to a 38% share of the MPC market in 2016 — the most of any state, and a 28-percentage-point increase in its share of all U.S. MPCs since the 1990s.

Recommended Reading:

•  Dallas Business JournalHousing market in DFW keeping pace with last year's record results
•  The Dallas Morning NewsD-FW home prices top national median for first time in Realtors' survey

The Christie Cannon Team | Keller Williams Frisco TX | www.christiecannon.com

4783 Preston Rd #300 Frisco TX

By now it is no secret that Dallas & Fort Worth real estate dominated national news in 2016, but according to REALTOR.com, Texas holds an overwhelming majority in the top searched zip codes on their national website.

TX real estate's "hot market" factor has earned TX cities 18 of the top 20 spots, with the entire top 10 list being from TX!

North Texas eats up the entire top 10 with Dallas suburbs taking 6 spots!

So why all the love?  For starters, keep in mind we are talking a geographic area the size of Connecticut & Rhode Island combined!  Likewise, this list only factors REALTOR.com's searches.  Other websites, like Zillow.com, are much less accurate (in many cases by more than 20%) in our non-disclosure state. 

And those Waco spots?  Well, according to one REALTOR.com article, a great deal of that search may simply be attributed to the wildly popular Chip & Joanne Gaines' TV show "Fixer Upper"!

It will be interesting to see how this list compares to other national websites stats!

Christie Cannon  REALTOR

The Christie Cannon Team

Keller Williams Frisco TX

469.951.9588: Mobile

972.215.7747: Office

Voted as one of the BEST Realtors in D Magazine for 2010-2016

Voted as a Five Star Professional 2012-2016 Texas Monthly Magazine

Named among America's Best Real Estate Agents by Real Trends Magazine

Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist

Global Property Specialist

#1 Keller Williams Agent 2011-2016

Top 50 Agents in the Nation / KW

Inadequate Inventory Driving Prices Up

The latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revealed a direct correlation between a lack of inventory and rising prices. We are all familiar with the concept of supply and demand. As the demand for an item increases the supply of that same item goes down, driving prices up. Year-over-year inventory levels have dropped each of the last 18 months, as inventory now stands at a 4.0-month supply, well below the 6.0-month supply needed for a ‘normal’ market. The median price of homes sold in November (the latest data available) was $234,900, up 6.8% from last year and marking the 57 consecutive month with year-over-year gains.

NAR’s Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun had this to say:

"Existing housing supply at the beginning of the year was inadequate and is now even worse heading into 2017. Rental units are also seeing this shortage. As a result, both home prices and rents continue to far outstrip incomes in much of the country."

But there is good news about rising prices. More and more homeowners are recovering from a negative equity situation and learning that they are able to sell their homes and either move up to their dream home or downsize to a property that will better suit their needs. Look for these homes to come to market soon.

Buyer demand continues to outpace the supply of homes for sale. Listing your home in the winter attracts serious buyers who are looking to close the transaction quickly.