An Open letter to the Sellers in Frederick County

 Dear Home Sellers,

Don’t hate me for my honesty.  I am here to help you sell your house.  That is what you hired me to do.  I have sold plenty of Real Estate and I truly want to sell yours, but I need your help.  You see, the real estate market is not quite the way is was a few years back when you bought it.  I know you fell in love with it the moment you laid your eyes on it….you had to…the couple standing behind you were thinking the same thing (if not this house, what other house can I buy?)  Inventory was low and the demand was high.  It really seems like the price you paid in 2005 is about same price you can sell it for now…

Today, buyers aren’t standing in line outside your house the moment the sign goes up.  The houses are lining up on the internet.  With more that 2300 homes listed in Frederick County, how are you going to stand out from the rest?  The main reasons a house do not sell; Price, Presentation and Location…You control 2 out of 3. 

Your dated cabinets don’t compare to the newly updated kitchen that your neighbor has.  I know that bright blue and yellow paint in the game room matches your alma mater, but the buyers are not impressed since they went to Penn State.   You love your family and it shows and shows and shows…with all of your personal stuff displaying all through the house, it is hard for the buyers to see their family in this house.  Your rooms look small with all that furniture in there….It’s time to declutter the house.  Have a yard sale before you put it on the market.  Give it away to Goodwill or other charities.   (People are experiencing hardship all the time)

Speaking of hardship, I am sure you have been watching TV, plenty of home owners are experiencing financial hardships.  Of course the media is not going to report all the home owners that are making their house payments…they love selling tickets to a train wreck.  What happens when one of your neighbors experience a foreclosure?  They have to sell their house quick.  The price is lowered and lowered.  But you’re thinking that’s a foreclosure…that won’t affect me!!!  Unfortunately it does… That becomes your next comparable in an appraisal.  RealtyTrac says we have 270 homes in Frederick right now going throught the Auction Process and 99 in preforeclosure.  Combined, that is more than  15% of the homes that are currently on the market now.  Not all of these homes are listed for sale right now… the owners are trying to save it themselves or the bank is already taking over the property.   But they will be soon…priced lower than yours.  Will yours show better?

I offer this advice, if you have to sell right now, be smart.  The market is what the market is… You can’t sell a $100 bill for $125.  Price is a key part of getting it sold quickly.  The average days on the market is around 110 days.  (30 days in 2005)  If you don’t have to sell right now, wait it out…we will make it through these tough times.  But in the mean time, prepare your house for when the market turns in your favor. 

• Declutter
• Update your much needed appliances
• Fix up everything that has been on your list
• Nuetralize your paint colors
• Landscape – curb appeal
• Seek the advice of a REALTOR®

Sometimes the truth hurts…I am here to help you understand the market so you can make informed decisions. 

Best Regards,

Related Articles:

• Casual Dress Friday or is it -Staging your home
• Staging Real Estate, who us?

55+ Active Adult Community Open House Sept 22nd

 Agents in my office are sponsoring an open house in Mill Crossing at Tasker’s Chance on September 22nd 11AM – 4PM.  You are invited to view the gorgeous model and sign up for prizes drawings.  If you are looking to downsize in to a maintenance free community, this is a definite must for you.

This Active Adult Condominiums community is convienent to shopping, restaruants and public transporation.  Located just off Route 40 and Route 15, this community is nestled in the village of Tasker’s Chance in Frederick, MD. 

Each Mill Crossing condo offers 2 bedrooms and 2 full baths, 9 foot ceilings, and a private balcony or patio.  As part of this Active Adults lifestyle, you will enjoy the use of the fitness center, community room, bistro and outdoor putting green. 

Click here to take a Virtual Tour of Mill Crossings at Tasker’s Chance

To see more of this Active Adult community, contact Ron Alexander or Sandra Cook at 301-663-1552.  You can email Ron directly by clicking here.

• Open House September 22nd 11AM-4PM
• 120 Burgess Hill Way, Frederick MD 21702
• Normal Business hours are
  • Wednesday and Friday 11AM-3PM
  • Saturday and Sunday 10AM-4PM
• Sales Manager Ron Alexander (301) 663-1552

Housing Market in Frederick MD

We are starting to close in on another year.  It’s hard to believe that 2007 is almost in the bag.  The Frederick Fair is here, the leaves are about to fall, and I mean fall, since it has been so dry.  Time sure flies when you’re having fun….  The Frederick County housing inventory has climbed to 2338 as of right now.  The new homes to the market have pretty much been flat all year with an average of 18 new listings every day.  Granted some of the listings were ones that were previously listed with another agent.  Sellers have been pretty frustrated in this market.  They haven’t been getting the price that they truly wanted.  It’s not the agents fault…the market determines the price.  With Foreclosures in Frederick County on the climb, (Currently 95 in Preforeclosure and 226 in Foreclosure status according to RealtyTrac.) pricing is a moving target.  Unfortunately, foreclosures and short sales are your next appraisal and it will impact your sales price.  You will need to lower your price, if you want to move on to the next step…this is a reality.  Loans are harder to get and also harder to keep together.  With all the changes the Mortgage market is going through, sometimes they are disintegrating before they get to closing.  So here, as the seller you will also need patience.  Lenders have been giving out money way too easily and now we are paying for it.   Paying for in a sense that we have been spoiled.  We have been used to lenders jumping through hoops to give out money.  Now they make the buyer jump through hoops to get the money…not as easy any more. 

Here’s a chart of a few numbers over the past year.

Past market updates;

• Frederick MD Real Estate Market Update
• Market Conditions around New Market MD
• Market Conditions Frederick MD

Market Conditions around New Market MD

Let’s take a closer look at the New Market area.  This has always been an attractive area with all the historic buildings downtown and the ever popular Lake Linganore area.  Something about water and people…we just gravitate to it.  We enjoy its calming affect.   Conveniently located just off Interstate 70, you have a quick commute to Baltimore or Washington DC.

You have a variety of homes around the lake; small to moderate townhomes, small to luxurious single family homes.   With this amount of selection in homes, home buyers have the opportunity to live in this area at any price.  Currently on the market in New Market;

• 138 Single Family Homes  – $129,900 to $999,999
• 20 Town Homes  -  $234,900 to $424,900
• 4 Condos  -  $207,500 to $449,900

In the last 30 days, there have been only 12 sales in zip code 21774.  Below is a list of homes that sold in past 30 days;

• SFH – Waters Edge – 6 BD 4 BA – $657,500
• SFH – San Andrew Dr – 4 BD 4 BA – $540,000 ($20,000 seller help)
• SFH – Douglas Ave – 4 BD 2 BA 2 HB – $430,000 ($7,500 seller help)
• TH – Mussetter Ct – 4 BD 3 BA 1 HB – $344,500 ($10,000 seller help)
• TH – Steamboat Way – 3 BD 2 BA 2 HB – $289,900 ($3,500 seller help)
• TH – Steamboat Way – 3 BD 1 BA 1 HB – $277,750 ($11,000 seller help)

There you have a quick snapshot of the what the Market Conditions are New Market MD.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. 

Related Links:

• Buying a house in Frederick MD What do you need to know.
• Buying a house in Frederick MD Part two
• The Best Investment
• Should You Try to “Time the Market”?
• The Effect of Changing Jobs
• School Information
• Community Information

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