Pinetop White Mountain Blog

Good Afternoon Everyone,

It has been a long couple of years and by now I'm sure there are a lot of sellers out there who are getting very discouraged.  Their homes have lingered on the market with little activity and they are about to give up for the season.  Don't do it!

Activity picked up significantly at the end of August and many homes that had been on the market for a long time went in to escrow.  I know it is difficult having your home on the market.  The constant picking up and keeping things ready to show can wear on you.  But, if you want to sell that is what you have to do.

I don't know why but I have a feeling we may still see some good activity in the next month and a half.  There are still a lot of buyers waiting in the wings until the end of the season to see if their favorite homes drop anymore in price.  I have been blogging to them letting them know that prices have fallen about as far as they are going to fall, and if they wait until next Spring to pursue their dreams they are likely to find fewer choices and higher prices.

The foreclosure storm hasn't ended yet, but it is showing signs of slowing.  The Short Sales are still out there but they are so time consuming and frustrating that many buyers give up before they can ever get an acceptance from the bank.  Add in the fact that the banks really don't want to do anything and there are no teeth in any government mandates to make them speed up the process, many of those sales fail before they even get started.

I know it is tempting to take the home off the market and close it up for the winter but remember, there are people who live in the White Mountains all year around.  They often venture in to the marketplace after the summer buyers have gone home.  Winter is not "dead" for Real Estate, it just slows a bit during the colder months.

If you have a property you have been thinking about selling but just held back because you figured there wasn't any sense in putting it on the market this time of year, you may need to rethink that.  Especially if the property is a modest home that would appeal to a local buyer.  Yes, you will need to keep it open for the winter.  You may be called upon to have someone shovel a path to the door, but homes do sell in the wintertime.  I often find that some of my best and strongest buyers show up off season.

If I can answer any questions for you or help you determine if now is the time to sell, please give me a call.  The inventory of homes will diminish quite a bit over the next few months and that may give you a better opportunity to have your home shown and possibly sold.

Thanks for reading!  Until next time....

Sandra Paulow, Associate Broker, GRI, SFR

Your High Country Connection for Real Estate.