Magical Market

The housing market is nuts right now. There is less inventory than what has been common the past few years. Fewer bank owned homes, fewer short sales. Traditional listings are going up in price and new construction is booming. 

I just finished writing an offer for a buyer of mine. He loved this quaint little home in St. Paul, we saw it twice and then it disappeared off the market in less than 3 weeks. He was bummed. Then, a week later...*POOF* it reemerged! I told him if he wanted it, we had to write an offer immediately! It is almost meant to be I think. This is the second time this month that I showed a home, it went off the market, and came back. So we are crossing our fingers. 

I also listed a home in my neighborhood last week, sent my usual marketing materials and we had a full price offer accepted in less than 2 days. I think buyers are understanding that good homes go quick and if you see one you like, you better buy it. That is the nature of the market. 

I have been blessed enough in my career to be able to sell every single one of my listing at full price or within 2% of the sales price within the first 2 weeks on the market. Not many people can say that! I go through painstakingly ridiculous actions to find the sales price to list homes at. I mean, I search recently sold, pending sales, I also sometimes go visit similar homes that are active in the area to see how they compare to mine. I think like an appraiser- that way when an appraisal comes around I can back up my sales price perfectly. I spend hours and hours doing it, but it has done nothing but work out fabulously.

Not to toot my own horn but the point I am trying to make is, in today's market- list price is pretty much what you should expect to pay. If you don't, you could end up in a multiple offer situation, or lose out on that dream home. A good Realtor should set that expectation, that if you really want a home, and that's the one you can't live without, you will need to pay the right price and it will all be worth it in the end :-)