Rockford, MI

The thought of selling can be very overwhelming. Not knowing the market conditions are only part of the reason a good real estate agent can add value in the home sale process. Here is a little quiz to get you started.

1. Do you want an agent to:

( ) a. Tell you what you want to hear?

( ) b. Tell you the Truth?

( ) c. Tell you to list it yourself?

2. Do you want an agent that:

( ) a. is an expert in negotiating?

( ) b. is passionate about real estate?

( ) c. customizes a marketing plan to your home?

( ) d. All of the above

3. All real estate agents do is list your property on the multiple listing service, and stick a sign in the yard and get paid a lot of money to do that.

( ) TRUE

( ) FALSE

4. I can sell my home myself.

( ) TRUE

( ) FALSE

5. I can save myself money by selling the home myself and pass that savings on to the new buyer.

( ) TRUE

( ) FALSE

ANSWERS:

1. B, but any could apply!! It is up to you. Having a agent tell you the truth is really what you should HAVE to hear, not if you WANT to or not. Sometimes we don't come with good news, but in the long run, our knowledge is for your benefit. Pricing the home correctly can produce a quicker sale at a more attractive price. Lets just say you want $120,000 for your home. You list it for $125,00, but the home is not being looked at in that price range. You lover the price to $115,000 after 90 days. Now you have an offer of $110,000 and do not take that. After another 90 days you lower the price to $110,000 and get an offer of $95,000. We do not have a crystal ball, but if you would have priced your home closer to the the $115,00 t0 begin with you may have had an offer closer to that than having it on the market for that long and taking much less. Also remember you still made payments on the home and paid for property taxes.

A good agent would have told you that and would have had a plan to get the most for your home.

2. D. ALL OF THE ABOVE

(And by the way, if you ask them to cut their commission, which one of those would you like less of? There is value in a good agent and they should be able to tell you and show you their value!)

3. FALSE! But just like in any business there are a few agents out there that have done just that! You should ask before you sign and get it in writing, what the marketing plan is for your home. Ask questions like: Do you have a website, blog or what advertising do you do on the web? Do you network and where, do you have a data base that you market to? When was the last time you sent out something to your data base? Do you do client events? Do you hold open houses? (There are many others as well)

4. TRUE! You can sell your home yourself. But when you go to the dentist do you do your own fillings or does he? The same is true for REALTORS. They have been educated to look out for your biggest investment. Find one you are comfortable with and the process will be worth every penny and the peace of mind will be great!

5. TRUE! There is some savings, but the agent can provide so many other valuable benefits: Qualifying the buyers so they are not wasting your time, taking care of all the state mandated forms, marketing, and negotiating the best price for your home in the quickest time frame.

All rights reserved 2009 by Charlene Hammontree of Property Works, LLC 426 North Park, Grand Rapids, MI 49525

Current Absorption Rate for Rockford Michigan is 16.7 months

on average, which means if no new listings come on the market,

it will take 16.7 months to sell current inventory.

The under $200K market is moving faster than the over $200K.

Less than $200,000 Since July 1, 2008

168 Active Listings under $200,000 in Rockford MI

Sold Rockford Homes 102

Average sold price $ 140,296

High sold price $200,000

Low sold price $40,000

Average Sold Price/SqFt $91.21

Over $ 200,000 Rockford MI Homes

139 Active Rockford MI Listings

Sold Rockford Homes 17

Average Rockford List Price: $ 345,721

Average Rockford Sold Price: $ 310,740

High Sold Price $ 515,000

Low Sold Price $215,000

Even though inventories are still high in this market, the absorption

rate is inching downward. Last month, over 18 months of homes to

sell, and this month only 16 months. You still have to have your

home priced correctly. Over-priced homes will not sell in this buyer's

market.

If you have any questions about a Rockford or

Grand Rapids MI homes, please contact me directly.

Grand Rapids -Ada Real Estate - Westbrook Realty

Copyright 2009 All rights reserved

Photo of Pebbles Park - Downtown Rockford by Bonnie Westbrook

We have gathered a list of the top Rockford Houses to buy.

Please note: This list can change daily as some

homes sell, prices are adjusted and other homes come

on the market. The homes listed below are probably

dated and would need updating with new carpeting,

paint, and kitchen-bath redos at a minimum to bring

them to current market standards. They might need major

repair work done, such as new roofs & mechanicals.

*Some of these homes may be bank owned foreclosures and

not habitable as is or available for a mortgage in present condition.*

Check back often or just subscribe to our blog to get

up-to-date local real estate information that you want to know.

The total square footage is noted here, although only the

main floors are used to figure price per square foot, even if

the basement is finished.

February 2009 BEST BUYS Rockford, Michigan.

The lowest list price is $69,900 and the highest list price is

$199,320. The lowest price/Sq Ft range from $43.45 to

$74.92 here.

The Top Rockford Homes to Buy by Price per Square Foot:

10495 Summit Ave NE $ 75,600 1740 Sq Ft $43.45/SqFt

8359 Courtland Dr NE $ 79,900 1469 Sq Ft $54.39/SqFt

7401 Wilkinson Dr NE $ 84,900 1600 Sq Ft $53.06/SqFt

8125 Myers Lake NE $ 89,900 1390 Sq Ft $64.68/SqFt

7041 S Cannon Place $110,000 1514 Sq Ft $72.66/SqFt

9480 Fricke Dr NE $114,999 2550 Sq Ft $69.53/SqFt

5074 Surf Dr NE $119,900 1941 Sq Ft $70.95/SqFt

4853 Cannonsburg Rd $138,900 2550 Sq Ft $68.69/SqFt

6674 Echo Dr NE $149,900 2387 Sq Ft $62.80/SqFt

10147 Young Ave NE $ 99,000 1592 Sq Ft $62.19/SqFt

The other 12 homes are listed on our Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog...........

If you would like a list of Top Best Buys in your area, please contact

us through email or on our web site:

Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty

Copyright 2009 All rights reserved

Current Absorption Rate for Rockford Michigan is 18.35 months on

average, which means if no new listings come on the market, it will take

18.35 months to sell current inventory.

The under $200K market is moving faster than the over $200K.

345 Active Listings in Rockford MI today.

132 Sold Rockford Homes since July 1, 2008 with high price

at $385,000 and the low price at $50,000.

22 Pending Home Sales since June 30, 2008 to date.

Average Rockford List Price: $ 245,443

Average Rockford Sale Price: $ 207,554

If you have any questions about a Rockford or Grand Rapids

MI homes, please contact me directly.

Grand Rapids -Ada Real Estate - Westbrook Realty

Copyright 2009 All rights reserved

Photo of Downtown Rockford by Bonnie Westbrook

We have gathered a list of the top Rockford Houses to buy.

Please note that this list can change daily as some homes

sell, prices are adjusted and other homes come on the market.

Check back often or just subscribe to our blog to get

up-to-date local real estate information that you want to know.

The total square footage is noted here, although only the

main floors are used to figure price per square foot. The

lowest price/Sq Ft range from $35.31 to $74.31 here.

The lowest list price is $54,900 and the highest list price is

$179,999 for January 2009 BEST BUY Homes in

Rockford, Michigan.

The Top Rockford Homes to Buy by Price per Square Foot:

10495 Summit Ave NE $ 86,400 1740 Sq Ft $49.66/SqFt

6597 Echo Dr NE $ 54,900 1555 Sq Ft $35.31/SqFt

8359 Courtland Dr NE $ 79,900 1469 Sq Ft $54.39/SqFt

7401 Wilkinson Dr NE $ 89,900 1600 Sq Ft $56.19/SqFt

7041 S Cannon Place $110,000 1514 Sq Ft $72.66/SqFt

You can see the rest of the Best Buys in Rockford at our

Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog...

If you would like a list of top best buys in your area, please

contact us through our website:

Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty

Copyright 2009 All rights reserved