Bob Schenkenberger - Denver Real Estate

When you put your home on the market, you are selling more than the physical structure. Think of it as selling a lifestyle. This is why preparing your home is so important. As buyers walk through your home, they are trying to imagine themselves living there. A savvy seller will help them along the way!

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

One of the ways is to set the dining room table. The china doesn’t come with the house, so why would you do it? Because buyers want to believe that if they buy your home they will finally be able to have those fabulous dinner parties they’ve been dreaming about. You are not trying to deceive buyers; you are just providing a visual to stimulate their imagination.

What do cluttered bathrooms bring to mind? A family rushing in the morning to get ready for work and school? Countertops empty of everything but a shine, reflect a relaxed atmosphere, in addition to an overabundance of storage. A strategically placed wine glass and book by the tub conjures up a vision of long bubble baths, something most buyers would find very appealing.

Don’t overlook the kitchen, which is one of the most important rooms to buyers. Make sure all clutter is put away. Place a cookbook on the counter, with it opened to a photo of a delectable dish. Buyers imagine a lifestyle of gourmet meals, instead of hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.

It’s very important to keep toys picked up, fingerprints cleaned off walls, and any other sign that says if you buy this home, your kids will go wild. A children’s book...[read the rest of the post here!]

The number of homes on the market, in the Denver, area plunged by 20 percent in August from a year earlier, the largest percentage drop in five years.

According to data from Metrolist, there were 24,648 unsold homes on the market last month, compared with 30,827 in August 2007.

This is very good news and reflects what we’ve been seeing also. Home choices are not what they were 6 months ago. However, there are still many options for those looking to buy right now.

Year to Year pricing is way down for August. Both the median and average prices of single-family homes sold last month showed double-digit percentage drops.

The average price of a single-family home was $284,531, down nearly 14 percent from $329,783 in August 2007. And the median price of a single-family home was $225,000, down nearly 13 percent from $257,500 in August 2007.

This data is skewed slightly as it takes the entire Denver Metro area into consideration. There are many parts of town where both average and median prices have actually gone up in the past year. Additionally, from June to August of this year, prices have been on the rise.

This is another indicator that the market is at, or near bottom. Contact us if you have any questions, or would like further information.