Okay, sellers. It is time to get real and face today’s Buyer’s real estate market. If you want to LIST your house, hoping you find an all cash buyer willing to over pay for your home, you don’t need to read any further. However if you want to SELL your home, please read on.
Today I took a cash buyer to see a very nice home in north Coral Gables. It is a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath, 1985 square foot home on a 7,000 square foot lot. It has an above ground pool (can’t believe that got permitted in Coral Gables, but that is the subject for another blog) and has been very nicely updated. The garage was converted into a playroom. As we were walking through the house, the agent kept pointing out all of the items that would not be staying: curtains, washer, dryer, some lighting fixtures. After we were done seeing the house, the agent told us what we already knew, “The house is overpriced”. When we asked her if what the sellers were thinking, she responded “They think their house is so nice and updated that it is worth more than anything in the neighborhood”. I told her it would never appraise. She said she knew, but to make an offer anyway, the sellers were motivated, they were buying another house and already had a contract on one. Here is the problem: the unrealistic sellers have the house priced at $690,000, down from $712,000. The absolute highest comp, based on tax rolls and the MLS put this house at $498,000. Even stretching, the highest price for a 3/2.5 in that area, but with larger square footage sold for $540,000. How does a buyer even begin to make an offer? They don’t. They go on to a more realistic seller.
The moral of the story is: If you don’t need to sell your house at today’s prices, then don’t. Wait for the time to come when the properties will appreciate. If you need or want to sell your house now, price it realistically.