Southern Oregon Real Estate Guide
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Open House-Does It Work And Is It Worth The Trouble?
area and to be able to compare
prices versus value. Statistics
show that over 80% of people who
make the effort to show up are
ready to take action — in other
words, to buy or sell — and will do
so within the next year.
It is certainly practical to be
able to peruse online a room-byroom photo album of a property,
but it is a precious opportunity to
be able to walk through a house
without an appointment or without
any pressure to make an offer.
And if buyers notice that the same
home has opened its doors over
several weekends in a row, it might
mean it is a slow-to-move property.
While such a possibility
deserves a bit of investigation, it
could also indicate that the seller
is in a position to make significant
concessions in their asking price
The ups and downs of
the real estate market over
the last half dozen years have
led to some game-changing
innovations in that sector.
Most especially, realtors have
seen a rise in the marketing
of properties online and a
decline in conventional sales
strategies, such as weekend
open house events. That
trend might reflect the
needs of sellers, but many
prospective buyers feel that
there is still a place for the
Saturday/Sunday open house
in the house-hunting game.
Many real estate agents
report that while fewer sellers
are bothering with the open
house concept, many buyers
still rely on open visits to get
a feel for the market in a given
Selling Your House – How To Make A Plan
The sale of your house is not an
action that should be taken lightly.
You will never be too prepared nor
too informed if you want your asking
price. You should start by deciding
on such a price. Using municipal tax
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South Central Oregon
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assessments might not be the best
way to determine the value of your
house. Check with local real estate
brokers, as they know the value
of similar properties within your
area. Their computerized listings
will show all sales in your sector
in the past few years, the past few
months and the past few weeks.
The information available on similar
properties sold recently includes
the size of the lot, the size and
surface area of homes, the number
of rooms, sale costs... You might
also request an appraisal from a
certified appraiser.
Once you have decided on an
asking price, make up a list of all
inclusives and exclusives – in other
words, what stays in the house
and what you will take with you.
This list is very important to help
December 2013
avoid misunderstanding when the
new owner takes possession of
the house. Think about items such
as an above-ground swimming
pool, the tool shed, the slowburning wood stove, the built-in
stove and oven, the dishwasher,
drapes, poles, lamps ... Remember
to transfer all rented accessories
or equipment, such as a hot water
tank. Have on hand all necessary
documents related to your property
such as property titles and
municipal easements; municipal and
school taxes; heating and electricity
bills; receipts for major repairs or
alterations or renovations to the
home in the last few years as well
as all current warrantees; lease on
rented equipment; and pictures
taken of the property at different
times of the year.