INDUSTRY INSIGHT
“
Real Estate
SPONSORED CONTENT
When Roughly 92%
of Buyers Start Their
Home Search Online…
Doesn’t it Make Sense to
Work with a Technology
Based Agency?
“
It’s a seller’s market, how do I take advantage of this? With
interest rates still at historic levels and reduced inventory in our local
market, buyer demand is high. In a seller’s market, it is very important
to make a great first impression with your property...and this typically
happens on the internet. Gone are the days where you can just take a
few pictures, stick a sign in the yard and hope your house sells. With
92% now searching online for a home, your online profile is what
drives buyers to your property. PPM Realty uses staging, professional
photography, individual URLs, pay-per-click and social media
campaigns to take advantage of today’s internet buyer.
As a seller, how do I differentiate my property from others? In
order to drive up demand for your property, it is important that you
make your property stand out from the crowd. In today’s internetdriven market, buyers are typically comparing your property to every
other home online and then deciding what to go see. Most buyers
today are looking for hardwood floors, granite, stainless appliances,
and open living areas with natural light. Make sure that your
marketing accentuates all or some of these features. If you’re lacking
in these areas, it’s always an option to offer to credit the buyers to
make one or more of these updates themselves.
As a buyer, how do I avoid missing out on my dream home?
With financing rates at an all-time low, this is the time to get your
dream home! As a buyer in today’s market, it is important that you
are prepared. First, make sure you have a solid pre-approval to
obtain a mortgage with a lender or a bank. Second, make sure you
know what monthly payment and out-of-pocket cash you can afford.
Without obtaining an initial pre-approval, an unprepared buyer may
be surprised by unknown costs and expenses. Third, make your
offer the most competitive. If you are making an offer on a desirable
property, chances are others may be as well. Make your offer stand
out with things like: more escrow money, shorter contingency
periods, stronger financing terms and/or quick closings. There are
many variables besides price that sellers are looking for. Set your
offer apart from the rest!
As a buyer, how do I know what a home is really worth? In the
eyes of an appraiser or lender, the true value of a home is typically
calculated by taking recent comparable home sales within close
proximity to the subject and making adjustments based on the
differences of the properties. While sites like Zillow and Eppraisal
offer value estimates, they can be inaccurate. There are many factors
that affect the value of a home and cannot be calculated by simply
using a computer model. Factors to consider are: condition, number
of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, parking, upgrades,
location, view, etc. It’s important that you’re working with an
experienced agent, who is not only taking into account bed, bath
and square footage, but also market trends, future development, and
economic indicators that affect the potential future value of a home.
PPM Realty’s real estate experts are here to help with your next
purchase...
PPM Realty, Inc.
1308 Peermont Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15216
PPMRealty.com | Phone: 412.343.6206 | Fax: 412.343.5432
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