Auburn, ME

Things are heating up here in the Lewiston - Auburn Maine real estate market. Yes, Androscoggin County home sales are up 19.7% since last year!

"Where are the SOLD signs" you ask?

Well, if you blink, you might miss them.

Regulations vary from state to state. Maine Realtors are technically only allowed to put up the sought after SOLD sign on the day the home sale is actually going to close. While happy sellers of The Maine Real Estate Network want to shout the news of their successful home sale from every rooftop, many home buyers (understandably) would like to simply start enjoying life in their new home without the Realtor's sign.

This time of year, we are truly building up our muscles getting those signs in (and then out) of the frozen ground. After all, Lewiston-Auburn home sellers are not looking to have a sign permantly planted in their front yard, they want a Realtor with the tools and determination to produce a solid and continuous marketing blast that will get their home sold quickly and for top dollar...and earn that coveted SOLD sign, if only for a few hours.

Yes, you will see our signs all over the Lewiston-Auburn Maine area...but not for too long in the same spot!

For a FREE, no-pressure consultation on getting your home sold fast and for top dollar, give me a call at 207-240-2250 or use our on-line form at www.homeseller.me.

If your for sale sign went up and came down without resulting in a successful sale, or if you just want to learn how to have a successful home sale, you may want to check out the information available on www.theunsoldhome.com. This is a great resource for frustrated and hopeful home sellers alike!

We may have close to a foot of snow on the ground, but believe it or not, Spring is on it's way!

The Auburn Public Library will host it's 3rd Annual Farmers Market this Friday (March 2nd) from 4:30 to 6:30pm. At the market you can not only pick up some great local food and products, you can also sign up for and get more information on CSA's (community supported agriculture) offered by local farms.

Enjoy live music by The Peterson Project, let the kids have some crafting fun, and pet the baby goats and piglets (yes, they will have them right there in the library.)

This event has grown every year and is becoming known in the area as a sure sign that Spring is on it's way!

This February there are a lot of Lewiston-Auburn and Augusta Maine properties for sale, but if this is the month you’re seriously entering the hunt, all that matters is how to find the best one! If you are a first time buyer, where to begin may seem a bit daunting, but you can relax. In reality, there are no “wrong” ways to search for a new home – but there are a few great places you can start.

Internet

Statistics shows that at least 94% of buyers make use of the Internet when they search for properties for sale. This is the most convenient source of information for most Lewiston-Auburn and Augusta Maine buyers. A great website provides them with the most up-to-date listing information, price alerts, and market statistics. Real estate agencies and most individual agents have their own websites with ample photos, listing particulars, area information, etc.

The Lewiston Sun Journal, The Kennebec Journal (KJ) or The Real Esate Book

This may seem a bit out of date but good ‘ole fashioned print ads can be a source for rentals. A better source for homes for sale in Central Maine, particularly Lewiston, Auburn, and Augusta, is The Real Estate Book. You will find many of properties for sale in the book, which you may pick up at your local stores including Hannaford. Most of these ads have beautiful color photos meant to draw you in – so let them! (Then re-check the listing online.) If nothing else, viewing the ads can help you get a snapshot view of the current Lewiston-Auburn and Augusta Maine market. Be mindful this isn’t a complete database by any means, but it gives you something to do when you’re sitting in a waiting room!

Real Estate Agents/Offices

I may be a bit biased here, but this last tip is the most sure-fire of all: finding the right agent. Establishing a relationship with a well-networked real estate agent will make your search for Lewiston-Auburn and Augusta Maine homes for sale easier, smoother, and vastly more productive. A well-informed agent is your singular best asset during the home hunt. He or she can explain and answer all your questions about the properties for sale you see online or in magazine, can give you the inside scoop on the neighborhood, the “comparables” (homes sold), the potential resale or long term value. The right agent will have seen hundreds of homes in Lewiston, Auburn, Augusta and surrounding towns. Putting that experience and market insight to work for you couldn’t be easier: I’m right here and I can save you thousands of dollars with my negotiating skills and years of experience! You can reach me at 207-689-9880!

Homeowners Helping Sell a home

It’s winter – the days short, the weather frigid - and unless you are someone who is trying to sell a second home at Sunday River Ski Resort or Sugarloaf Mountain, chances are you understand this is a challenging time of year to sell your house.

Fear not: with the right agent, strategic pricing, and the right marketing approach, you homeowners still do have several things you can do to help sell a home no matter what the time of year.

Show Your Bills

If you have made energy-efficient improvements to your home -- like added insulation, double pane windows, a new energy efficient furnace, etc.-- this is the time to brag about it. Collect data on the average heating bill in Lewiston-Auburn for similar sized homes and compare it yours and display to potential buyers. Energy efficiency is a big selling feature with oil pricing as high as they are. Significant savings year after year can help sell a Lewiston-Auburn home this time of year.

Crank the Heat While we’re on the topic of heat, nothing makes a potential winter buyer warm up quicker than – you guessed it - a warm, inviting home! Comfortable homes also feel well cared-for and lived-in: that’s something buyers will not find in discounted foreclosed or REO homes they may also be viewing. Few things send a buyer out the door quicker this time of year than a chilly house, so even if you're conservative, crank up the heat before your scheduled showing. Makes sure that is part of your routine as well as turning on all the lights before you leave the house.

Shovel, Shovel, Shovel Few chores are as labor-intensive as shoveling snow, but if you want to sell a home in the winter, make sure your driveway is well plowed and walkways shoveled well. Do you want buyers slipping and sliding into your driveway? Even if you never use your front door, you enter through the garage, make sure every entrance is clear of snow and ice. You do not want a buyer thinking “Oh, that’s so much work, they don’t even bother”. A buyer may not fixate on whether or not the front steps were clear, but they will remember if they had to push through snowdrifts to get there. Or worse yet, they pass on going inside altogether! I’ve seen this. The competition amongst homes is too strong so get in the right mindset and burn off those extra holiday calories. Keep your entrances clear and you will help keep similar nagging thoughts off buyers’ minds. You want to keep their concentration back where it belongs – falling in love with their future house!

While the season may be beyond your control, the right approach to sell a home can make all the difference. If you are intending to sell a home this season or even down the road, do give me a call anytime. I’ve got a game plan for the Lewiston-Auburn market this winter or anytime -- and together we can make it happen!

If you are a Lewiston Auburn Maine property owner who is seriously considering whether to sell your house, you know there are many practical details that bear careful consideration. One of the first is the decision regarding whether or not -- and if so, to what extent - refurbishing or upgrading the property will be a sound financial strategy.

The first and most obvious advantage of making home improvements before you sell your house is that it will be more marketable in a highly competive market! You can be sure that it will become more attractive to potential Lewiston Auburn Maine buyers. A house that clearly signals the need for after-purchase repairs can be expected to below market offers, which may be exaggerated (or even wildly exaggerated due to ‘fear of the unknown’). On the other hand, a well cared-for home in move-in condition can be your biggest weapon in countering any Lewiston Auburn Maine Short Sales and foreclosure properties that might weigh in the opposite direction. Setting your home apart from the crowd can be a shortcut to a quicker sale. It’s still “A price war and beauty contest” at the same time and a challenging balancing act!

The ultimate advantage to making improvements before listing a Lewiston Auburn Maine home for sale is the lure of earning a higher price. A renovated house just feels like new to potential buyers. Fresh renovations justify a higher value to any property -- much more so than had you left those questionable white shag carpets in the family room!

On the other hand, a disadvantage to consider is the fact that making substantial home improvements before you sell your house could result in a measurable time delay. Home improvements that were expected to take weeks but actually require months to complete can result in a delayed listing date. It’s important to consult a Lewiston Auburn real estate professional to explore whether the market is appreciating or declining to understant the impact time has on your strategy as well as whether or not your improvements will add more value than cost in the sales price.

The greatest unknown in considering the advantages and disadvantage of doing home renovations before you sell your house is the impossibility of precisely predicting the bottom line resale value of the improvements. You may recall stories from others about the profits they made after a quick remodel or a “flip”. It doesn’t happen all the time or even most of the time.

The good news is that careful consultation with a qualified agent before you start a renovation campaign can reap concrete results. As experienced Lewiston Auburn agents, The Tanya Busch Team knows what repairs and improvements will make you money or cost you money. If you have been considering a renovation before you sell your house in the Central Maine market, please don’t hesitate to contact me to schedule a no-obligation consultation.