Time To Step Up!

As market conditions change, sellers must come to the realization that teaming up with an experienced and aggressive agent can greatly increase their chances of selling their homes. Aside from advertising in local newspapers, holding open houses, and spreading the word to fellow professionals, an assertive agent knows to incorporate a virtual tour into a home's Web listing and to update an MLS listing with new photos on a regular basis. A savvy agent may also suggest that sellers sweeten the deal by offering to pay for some of the buyers' closing costs, providing a one-year home warranty, and/or including some appliances in the sale. These days, sellers need all the help that a smart, dedicated agent can provide.

Hint: If sellers price their homes too high to attract interest, they may not get any offers at all, never mind one that meets their inflated expectations.

The successful transfer of property required accommodating the needs of both seller and buyer. I have a track record of success when assisting all parties to make a smooth transition. Our office is conveniently located. Look forward to exceeding your expectations. To reach me, Stephanie W. Samuelsohn, Realtor and Principal Broker of Century21 VantagePoint Realty at 518-392-8484.

or e-mail me at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit our Website at: http://columbiacountyhomes.com/

See our Market Conditions Newsletter at: http://www.marketconditions.biz/

Price It Right

It is critically important that sellers price their homes well in a shifting market. Even a search of the sale prices of comparable homes in the area may not be sufficiently specific if the data is more than a few weeks old. In a market of this type, sellers need a professional evaluation that takes into account the specific location and condition of a particular property. It is this timely attention to detail that helps separate a seller's property from others. Even if a similar house next door sold for a certain dollar amount yesterday, a home could sell for more if it has an updated kitchen, more favorable lot, a better view, certain upgrades, or it is better maintained.

Hint: In a tight market, sellers need a committed, hands-on agent who knows an area well and can tout its benefits.

If you are considering the sale of your home, consider me, Stephanie Samuelsohn, Realtor and Principal Broker of Century21 VantagePoint Realty. I will provide you with a free market analysis of your home. As a Realtor and member of the Multiple Listing Service, I receive updated property sales information on a daily basis. Let my knowledge and experience benefit you! My office is conveniently located.

Your success is my #1 priority!

Call Stephanie at: 518-392-8484

or e-mail me at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit our web site at: http://www.columbiacountyhomes.com/

See our Market Conditions Newsletter at: http://www.marketconditions.biz/

Presenting Your Home To Buyers

In competitive markets, savvy real estate agents are quick to point out to sellers that presentation is nearly as important as price. Sellers can work this to their advantage by cleaning their homes, removing clutter, and repositioning furniture. This is known as "staging". Whether sellers hire professionals or do this work on their own, the idea is to remove all the unnecessary personal items from walls, shelves, and floors that make a home seem less than roomy. In addition, professionals know how to eliminate and position furniture in rooms to improve their appearance and traffic flow. In a sense, by removing half the clutter from a home, it can be made to appear twice as large.

Hint: One of the first places from which sellers should remove clutter is garages, which buyers closely inspect for storage possibilities.

It's true. People buy what they see. You don't necessarily have to spend lots of money to prepare your home for sale. Sometimes, the simple repositioning of furniture and decorative items creates a whole new "look". If you are considering the sale of your home, contact me, a Realtor and Principal Brokers of Century21 VantagePoint Realty. I have a successful track record assisting sellers. I am dedicated to helping you achieve the best return for your investment. The office is conveniently located. I will exceed your expectations!

Call Stephanie at: 518-392-8484

or e-mail me at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit our web site at: http://columbiacountyhomes.com/

See out Market Conditions Newsletter at: http://www.marketconditions.biz/

Is Selling A Job For Sellers?

If you are thinking about selling your home without an agent, consider that only 12 percent of home sellers successfully did so last year. Moreover, 40 percent of those FSBO (For Sale By Owner) properties went to family members or acquaintances of the sellers. Surely, if selling a home were so easy that anyone could do it, nearly everyone would. Bear in mind that selling a home involves analyzing sales of nearby comparable homes, setting a home's price, writing and placing ads in newspapers and online, meeting with potential buyers(many of whom are neither serious or financially able), negotiating a price and contract terms, and closing the deal with all the necessary paperwork. Are you ready for all that?

Century21 VantagePoint Realty wants to bring recognition to your home. A good agent will give you maximum, professional exposure. We have licensed professionals ready to show your home, answer questions and attend to show your home, answer questions and attend to your needs. Located at 605 Route 295 & The Parkway, Old Chatham you will work with a real estate professional who will not only help you find your home, but also a great community and everything it has to offer.

Contact our office at 518-392-8484 to find out all that we have to offer when buying or selling your home.

Hint: Real Estate agents have professional contacts and connections that they have built up over many years, which the average person simply cannot match.

E-mail Stephanie at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit our website at: http://http://www.columbiacountyhomes.com/

Our Market Conditions Newsletter at: http://www.marketconditions.biz/

Fizzling FSBOs

Sellers who attempt to sell their homes on their own (FSBOs, For Sale By Owner) largely rely on yard signs, newspaper ads, and open houses to advertise their homes. Other utilize the Internet, which may seem like a good way to reach potential buyers. As the 2003 National Association of Realtors "Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers" survey shows, however, nearly eight in ten buyers who initially used the Internet to search for homes ultimately use real estate professionals to complete their purchases. As many FSBOs learn the hard way, knowing how and where to market a property is an important part of the selling process. Not fully understanding how to best reach potential buyers can lead to costly mistakes.

Hint: Sellers who attempt to sell their homes without the help of real estate professionals usually find that the paperwork required for real estate translations can be complex and very confusing.

When you want to market your home, rely on the help of a real estate professional. At Century21 VantagePoint Realty, I am trained in how to successfully market your property. You can benefit from my years of experience in determining the best, most realistic price and promoting your property to the greatest number of potential buyers. Call me to arrange for a meeting so that I can show you how to "orchestrate" the successful marketing of your home.

I have access to all of the properties listed through the Multiple Listing Service. I am an active member of the Columbia Greene Board of Realtors.

Call Stephanie at: 518-392-8484

or e-mail me at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit our website at: http://columbiacountyhomes.com/

See our Market Conditions Newsletter at: http://www.marketconditions.biz/

Get (Your Garage) Organized!

Home sellers should take note of the fact that prospective buyers are scrutinizing the garages of the homes they look at nearly as much as they check out kitchens. Just as the trend toward custom closets drew homeowners' attention nearly two decades ago, homeowners are now looking to organize their garages. Because extra car bays frequently serve as workshops and storage areas, the garage must be flexible. Homeowners want their garages to be as organized and functional as their kitchens. With this in mind, sellers should draw attention to the potential of their garages by clearing away the clutter and adding shelves and other organizational features. Prospective buyers like spaciousness and flexibility in their garages.

Hint: If a garage can be sold partly as a workshop or hobby space, it increases the livability of the home in a prospective buyer's eyes.

Perhaps this may be time for a garage sale! Many homeowners allow their garage to become a glorified 'storage' area for an increasing number of nonessential items. Take this as an opportunity to 'purge' and let go of items so that you will not be pressured to move them to your next location. At Century21 VantagePoint Realty, I have a proven track record for helping sellers and buyers alike. I can assist you in determining what changes you can make in your home so that it will show well, and allow you to achieve the best possible return for your investment.

I am looking forward to helping you meet your goals!

Call Stephanie at 518-392-8484

or e-mail me at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit us at our website: http://ColumbiaCountyHomes.com/

See our Market Conditions Newsletter at: http://www.marketconditions.biz/

Front and Center

If you are selling your home, think about what cost-effective improvements you might make to the house to increase its attractiveness to buyers. Certainly, one of the first places to look, in this respect, is your own front door. According to a recent National Home Valuation Study commissioned by a door manufacturer, sprucing up your front entrance can add as much as $24,000, or up to six percent, to your home's perceived value. That added value is as much as five times the cost of a new entry system, which makes an upgraded front door a sound investment. A beautiful front door increases the "curb appeal" of a home in the eyes of prospective buyers.

Hint: When replacing your front door, think about using a fiberglass or composite product that increases the insulation value of the door.

If you are readying your home for sale, don't discount the power of a lovely entrance. Many home improvement stores devote large areas expressly devoted to doors. Let me assist you in determining what improvement(s) to your home will provide the "curb appeal" to elicit the best response and return for your investment. At Century21VantagePoint Realty, I can confer with regarding your options. Let my years of experience work for you! You will also benefit from my experience and my knowledge of the community.

I have access to all of the properties listed through the Multiple Listing Service. I am an active member of the Columbia Greene Board of Realtors.

Call Stephanie at: 518-392-8484

or e-mail me at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit our web site at: http://columbiacountyhomes.com/

See our Market Conditions Newsletter at: http://www.marketconditions.biz/

Getting Personal

Not long ago, experts were predicting the Internet would render real estate agents obsolete. Well, that prediction was about as accurate as the four-day workweek. The fact is that the Internet, indeed, has made information more widely accessible to buyers and sellers alike. There are Web sites that provide lists of available properties, mortgage information, and community facts. Prospective buyers can even take virtual tours of properties in which they are interested.

All of these services save consumers and real estate professionals time and money. Nevertheless, all these services are linked to professionals who make the real connection with consumers. Buyers still need someone to take them to homes, just as sellers need someone to help them determine asking prices.

Hint: You can get health information online, and you can get real estate information on the Web. But you would not make an important medical diagnosis without the help of a doctor, as most people would not buy a home without using a real estate agent.

When selling or purchasing property, the assistance of an experienced real estate professional is a critical factor. As Principal Broker of Century21 VantagePoint Realty, I have extensive knowledge of the community and can assist you in determining what properties may best fit your needs. If you are selling, I can provide you with a free competitive market analysis of your property. If you are a buyer, let me show you a wide variety of homes. I have access to all of the properties listed through the Multiple Listing Service. I am an active member of the Columbia Greene Board of Realtors.

Call Stephanie at: 518-392-8484

or e-mail me at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit our web site at: http://columbiacountyhomes.com/

See our Market Conditions Newsletter at: http://www.marketconditions.biz/

Stephanie Samuelsohn * Certified Seniors Real Estate Specialist

Stephanie wants you to know that she not only specializes in helping seniors but also in helping your senior pets too! See information from Certified Seniors Real Estate Specialist Member Memo bulletin below.

SRES Member Memo June 5, 2007

Assisting Older Pets

It's not just humans who face physical challenges as they age. So do pets. PetLoaderTM helps pets that can no longer jump into a car and pet owners who can no longer lift pets into a vehicle. The portable staircase allows animals to climb into cars, SUVs or trucks with ease. The PetLoaderTM comes in plastic or aluminum, its folds up, and there are models with three, four or five steps. For more information, visit: http://www.petloader.com/.

If you are considering the purchase or sale of real estate, contact me. I am a Realtor &Principal Broker with Century21 VantagePoint Realty, & I have a successful track record of assisting buyers & sellers. I will arrange an initial meeting , when I will help you to determine the best type of property to meet your needs & budget and/or the best marketing strategies to sell your current property. The office is conveniently located in Columbia County NY. I am a member of 3 Multiple Listing Services. I will exceed your expectations.

Call Stephanie at: 518-392-8484

or e-mail me at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit us at our website at: http://columbiacountyhomes.com/

See our Market Conditions Newsletter at: http://www.marketconditions.biz/

Hope to hear from you soon.

An Open Door Policy

One of the best ways for sellers to allay potential buyer concerns is to show them that they will get what they are paying for. Part of any smart home-selling strategy calls for sellers and their agents to anticipate the concerns of potential buyers, primary among which is the concern that they might be purchasing a home with defects. The best way to defuse this concern is to have their home inspected by a professional property inspector prior to placing the house on the market. This will help uncover problems that were not previously known to the sellers, so that they can address them and thereby remove them as potential obstacles to a sale.

Hint: If a home inspection does uncover a problem, sellers should be ready with estimates of the cost to remedy it, which can be used to expedite negotiations with potential buyers.

If you are considering the purchase of real estate, contact me. I am a Realtor and Principal Broker with Century21 VantagePoint Realty, and I have a successful track record of assisting buyers. I will arrange an initial meeting, when I will help you to determine the best type of property to meet your needs and budget. The office is conveniently located. I am a member of 3 Multiple Listing Services. I will exceed your expectations.

Call Stephanie at: 518-392-8484

or e-mail me at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit us at our website at: http://ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

See our Market Conditions Newsletter at: www.marketconditions.biz

You Had Them At "Hello"

According to some real estate professionals, more than half of all homes are sold before buyers even get out of their cars. This favorable first impression is called "curb appeal". Sellers should understand that if prospective buyers find the outside of a home attractive, there is a very good chance that they are going to want to see what is inside. On the other hand, if prospective buyers are turned off by an exterior that is not presentable, there may be very little that anyone can do to pry them from their seats to take a tour of the home. With this in mind, sellers should make every effort to freshen their homes' facades and landscaping.

HINT: At the very least, if necessary, sellers should give the front door of their home a fresh coat of paint and even new hardware(a brass door handle and knocker).

Most everyone is familiar with the expression 'curb appeal'. If you are considering the sale of your home, you should take a critical look at the view from the curb. Perhaps a simple yard clean-up would make the difference. At Century21 VantagePoint Realty, I can confer with you regarding your options when preparing your home for selling.

Call me to arrange for a meeting. I will meet and exceed your expectations.

Call Stephanie at 518-392-8484

or e-mail me at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit us at our website at: http://www.columbiacountyhomes.com/

See our Market Conditions Newsletter at: www.marketconditions.biz/