Gabriela Agostinelli

List Price: $365,000 - It was $450,000 before! Great deal!

LAWRENCE ST, SAINT INIGOES, MD 20684

Great opportunity to own waterfront property in St. Mary's County on Molls Creek. Spacious 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, full finished basement, woodstove w/insert, living room, family room/dining area, 1/2 acre lot, pier w/electric & water, fenced yard, covered deck, 2 car garage. Fish, swim, boatting, or just sit and relax and enjoy the views! Call for an appointment today: 305-797-1171, Gabriela

HOW TO DETERMINE THE PRICE OF YOUR HOME

By Gabriela Agostinelli

Why is it that some homes sit on the market for a year while others sell like hot cakes? Frustrated sellers will blame a bad market, while a good real estate professional will tell you that many times, a slow sale is often attributed to the listing price.

If a home is overpriced, buyers will stay away. But, if the price is competitive with similar homes in the area and "shows" better than the competition, it will have a better chance of being sold quickly.

The secret is perfecting a technique that's as American as apple pie: comparative shopping.

Although comparing houses with different styles, square-footages and locations is challenging, real estate professionals still feel it's one of the best methods to use when determining a home's market value.

A responsible real estate agent will effectively evaluate a home's worth through a process known as Comparative Marketing Analysis (CMA). Taking a look at assets, such as a swimming pool, bigger than normal living spaces, a fantastic view, adjacent city parks and other attractions, the agent will begin to compare your home with similar properties, called "comparables," that have sold in the area within the last six months. Typically, the agent is able to recommend a realistic price range that will ensure you top dollar and a reasonably

However, factors such as the amount of time needed to sell your home can alter the agent's price recommendation dramatically.

Typically, people should check with real estate offices in the community to determine the typical duration that listings are on the market. Sales associates will explain that the marketing "norms" vary with prices and properties. Based on this criteria, the agent feels confident that he or she will be able to sell it for a price that both you and the buyer will be happy with. However, if you're under time constraints because of unexpected job changes or moving agreements you've made on another property, this will narrow your chances of selling the home for top dollar in the market.

Assuming you have sufficient time to market the home, here are a few small steps you and your agent can take to finding the right price for your property.

The best comparisons can be made with similar homes that have been sold within the last 45 days as opposed to the standard six months. Any longer and other factors, such as the economy, could cloud your view of how much your home is really worth.

Another good benchmark is to review the selling prices of homes that have just been sold and are pending closes. Most MLS services provide information on deals pending that most real estate agents should be able to shore with you.

Being open and honest about what you see as the home's greatest strengths and biggest weaknesses will also help an agent get a better feel for how to best evaluate (or assess) and market your home. Think of your home as if you were the buyer. If your home is listed at the right price, you're well on your way to a speedy and fruitful sale.

If you have a property in St. Mary's county, Calvert or Charles county and want to find out the current market value of your home, I can help you. E-mail me for a free CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) - gabriela.agostinelli@c21nm.com

QUICK FACT #1: Staging your home for sale saves you time and money

Professionally staged homes sell in 80% less time than non-staged homes, according to a survey conducted by ASP* (Accredited Staging Professional). The money spent on staging will always be less than your first price reduction and statistics also show that 94.6% of staged homes sell on average in 35 days or less.

*Source: Stagedhomes.com and based on today's market

QUICK FACT #2: Simple cleaning and staging can return $1,000's

The following is a summary of the results of HomeGain's national survey, based on areas of home improvement identified by real estate agents.

PROJECT: COST: PRICE INCREASE ROI - Return on Investment
Home Staging: Lighten and brighten $233 - 370 $1,178 - 1,566 355%
Clean and de-Clutter $190 - 318 $1,505 - 1,937 578%
Landscape Front/back $378 - 546 $1,718 - 2,158 319%
Stage Home for Sale $403 - 584 $1,938 - 2,431 343%

QUICK FACT #3: Living in your home and marketing your home are two different things!

Staging can be as simple as spiffing up your home in a number of small ways...it's all in the presentation! The way you live in your home and the way you market your home for sale are two different things...you have to think of your house as a product. You want the prospective buyer to visualize your home as THEIR home, they need to be able to SEE their stuff in your house!

Call me for a no obligation market analysis!

Before

After

This Saturday, Sep. 19, from 12:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Beautiful 5 bedroom 3 bath waterfront home in Ridge, MD, remodeled in 2006. Plenty of space for your family and friends to enjoy the spring/summer/fall/winter on the water. Pier, dock & boatlift also new. This house sets on 1.85 acres on a protected prong of St. Jerome's Creek, just minutes to the Chesapeake Bay. Plenty of yard for garden, play area for children and family. Crab and fish off your own pier. Only 13 miles to Pax River Base! Listed for $ 735,000. To see this home schedule an appointment: 305-797-1171, Gabriela Agostinelli.

SM7016466 - 49870 GRAY GOOSE LN, RIDGE, MD 20680

Directions: From C21NM,235 south,left at Ridge Caution/stop light,left on Fresh Pond Neck Road to left on Gray Goose Lane. Street sign is missing, Gray Goose is the 2nd left after split off of to Hayes Beach Road.

Solomon: where the Patuxent River meets the Chesapeake Bay. Don't miss the sunset, it is really pretty! My favorites restaurants in the area are Stoney's and CD Café. Now they have calamari appetizer in the Stoney's menu, it is very good!

Saturday, September 19
Picnic Cruise aboard the Wm. B. Tennison
Calvert Marine Museum
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Bring a picnic basket along and enjoy a cruise on the Patuxent River.
Adults $15, children 12 and under $10
Advance registration required by Friday, September 18.

Saturday, September 19 - Sunday, September 20
Maryland Lighthouse Challenge
Calvert Marine Museum
Discover a piece of Maryland's maritime history and see how many Chesapeake Bay lighthouses you can visit in one weekend. For complete information, visit www.cheslights.org/challenge.htm. Don't miss the custom Lighthouse Challenge socks in the Museum Store!

Saturday, September 19 - Sunday, September 20
ARTSFEST '09 Fine Arts Festival
Annmarie Garden Sculpture Park & Arts Center
Recognized as Southern Maryland's finest outdoor arts festival, Artsfest offers a weekend of art, music, food, wine, fine brews, and free art activities for all ages. 10 am - 5 pm, Annmarie Garden Sculpture Park & Arts Center, 13480 Dowell Rd., Solomons http://www.annmariegarden.org/Events/Artsfest/index.htm

Saturday, September 26
Lighthouse Adventure Cruise
Calvert Marine Museum
Leave the museum dock at 7:45 a.m. and head south on a chartered boat to see the lighthouses of the lower bay by water. Stop over at Smith Island for lunch. The cost is $150 for the day-long trip; lunch is on your own. Register by August 14 and get the early bird special rate of $130. Museum members pay $125. Space is limited and pre-registration required. Call 410-326-2042 ext. 41.

Saturday, September 26
Lecture: In the Wake of Chesapeake Explorers
Calvert Marine Museum
Lecture: In the Wake of Chesapeake Explorers by ecologist and Chesapeake historian, Dr. Kent Mountford. Sailing the five masted full rigged ship Royal Clipper, Mountford retraced the route that 17th century Chesapeake explorers followed to the New World. Using photographs and charts, Dr. Mountford will discuss North African and Canaries archipeligo ports of call relevant to the early New World voyages as well as his attempts to reckon position with relatively crude instruments on a rolling deck. Like those adventurers over 400 years ago, the Royal Clipper has her own adventures to relate.

Read more on: http://www.solomonsmaryland.com/