kept up. People buy homes because of emotion. Logic doesn’t always apply. As a result, a well-kept-up home will sell for more money. We have seen well-maintained homes sell for 10% to 15% more than an unappealing home. We have seen professionally staged homes sell for 20% more than an unstaged property. Yes, the condition of a home counts. Don’t use an ugly home as a comparable. Are you in a buyer’s or seller’s market? While you’re scouting other homes for sale in your area, pay attention to how long they’ve been on the market. Sites such as Zillow and Realtor.com often have a little section under each home that tells how long it has been up for sale in their systems, although not necessarily how long they’ve been on the market. Your agent's MLS will easily provide all this information to you. If homes in your neighborhood are getting snatched up right and left, you stand a good chance of the same happening for you, as long as your home is priced right. This is referred to as a seller’s market, and you could get more profit from your home’s sale. On the other hand, if the “Home for Sale” signs in your area seem to be growing roots and taking up permanent residence, you might benefit from setting a little lower price than your competitors. You might not make as much profit as you would have liked, but some profit is better than none at all. A good agent will typically have an idea of "the wind" of the market before moving in either direction and provide solid advice on setting a competitive price for a fast sale.
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