seller tips

Did you know that knowing who your average prospective buyer is can help you sell your home? Makes sense. If you know that your average person looking at your home is a certain age range, income level, etc., you can target your efforts in marketing your home, and even in choosing a Realtor.

Know your target buyer

Let’s say that you have a condo in a 55+ community. You know that your target buyer is 55 years old or over, and probably has a certain income range. This will tell you to find a Realtor that specializes more in older clientele, who can bring them to you, but who also knows how to market to them.

So who is the average American home buyer? Depends on whether it’s a first or second home. So let’s look at both. The NAR took averages from 2009 through 2013. They also were able to target the areas of the country with the most buyers.

Average home buyer

The average home buyer in the US for a primary home is 38 years old and has an average income of $81,400.00. They mortgage 75% of the sale, meaning they have savings for a good sized down payment. If they are second home buyers the average age is 47 years old and has an average income of $92,100.00. They mortgage 66% of their purchase. This is probably because they have more savings, but also because a second home mortgage requires more down money.

So how is this useful? Well, a 38 year old is most likely settled in a career, possibly married and has a family, or is starting one. Your Realtor will know how to market your home to meet their criteria.

One piece of very good news for those in the South, 40% of buyers are in the southern region of the US, for both primary and secondary homes!

If you would like find out more about selling your home in the Tampa Bay area, give Deb Ward, The Irish Realtor a call today! 727-216-9247

Over the last few years if your home didn’t sell you could blame the bad market. Today, not so much. Markets are rebounding and now blame can be placed where it probably belongs: seller or realtor. Here are the top reasons why your Clearwater home didn’t sell.

Location:

Location matters. Your neighborhood matters. If you have issues like a busy street or you live close to things like power plants, high tension wires, waste treatment facilities, airports, train tracks or some other issue, getting it sold can be challenging. Some can be mitigated with sound proofing, but others not so much.

Price:

Price is one of the biggest factors in whether a house sells and how quickly. If your home is priced right, it will sell. Over price it and it will sit. Getting the best price doesn’t mean listing high and negotiating down. Over pricing will mean those who will be looking for your home, those who want to look in your price range, won’t see it. Those who do won’t be interested since they want a home of higher quality a higher price brings. Plus the longer it sits, the more people avoid buying, after all if it hasn’t sold something MUST be wrong with it, right? THAT is exactly what buyers are thinking about your overpriced home that has been sitting for months.

Condition:

Condition covers a lot of things: needed repairs, cleanliness, whether the home has too much clutter, pet smells, cigarette smoke smells and so on. Putting repairs off onto buyers will keep them from buying. Unless they are looking for a fixer upper, but that means they will underbid it. Clean up, fix it up, declutter and make your home shine and people will buy.

Access:

Make your home available to be seen. Sounds like an obvious thing, but allow your realtor and others to show it. Use a lock box. It allows agents to show your home while you aren’t there. Electronic lock boxes also keep a record of who accessed your home. That way your Realtor can follow up.

Bad marketing:

This one is squarely on your Realtor. A good realtor will have a proven track record about how to effectively market homes. If they don’t, find one who does.

Don’t make these mistakes and you will sell your home!