When Should You Sell Your Property to Get the Most money in the Least Amount of Time

Looking to buy or sell a home in Merrimack Valley? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (978) 852-3001 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Many clients have been asking me recently whether they should wait until the spring to put their homes on the market. Here are a few considerations to make during this process:

1. What is your timetable for sale? If you have children and would like them to finish school before moving, perhaps waiting until the spring would be a good idea. In this case, allow yourself at least 4 months for this process (from listing to sale) to occur.
2. However, keep in mind that 60% of homes are listed in the spring and summer. Putting your home on the market earlier will give you a competitive advantage if you don't have any time constraints to deal with. Plus, putting your home on the market when inventory is low will result in multiple offers and possibly a higher selling price.
3. Consider interest rates. Right now rates are the lowest we've seen in 45 years, and the consensus is that they will probably rise by a point to somewhere around 5%. Because of this, if you have no reasons not to list your home for sale right now, then you should go ahead and put it on the market as soon as possible.
4. What are the advantages of setting a time-table on your home? If you want to avoid owning two homes simultaneously, you need to plan your move-in and prepare to sell your property ahead of time. Owning two homes at once is tricky financially as well as logistically!

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me at (978) 256-3306 or email me at paul@paulbrouillette.com

Have a great week!

6 Things You Need to Know About Home Inspections

Click here to find out what your home is worth or to search all area homes for sale.

Buying a home is a process with many steps. One of those steps is a home inspection. Frequently I get asked by both buyers and sellers about what a home inspection is.

A home inspection gives the buyer a chance to make sure all issues with the home are taken care of prior to purchasing. There are five common questions about a home inspection that I wanted to answer here.

1. What is the purpose of a home inspection?

The purpose is to make sure you are buying a safe home with no adverse effects that could deplete the value of the home.

2. How do you handle issues that may arise?

This is a great question and it's important to look at the situation with perspective. Everyone wants to know who will pay for the repairs. If you are a buyer and are getting the home for lower than the market value, it may be more beneficial to pay for the repairs than risk losing the home while still saving money.

3. When should you walk away?

If you and the seller can't come to an agreement or if there are damages to the home that can't be fixed such as as mold it may be best to walk away.

4. How can a buyer's agent assist you?

As your agent, it's my job to present the pros and cons of the situation. We can help you negotiate the situation so you are getting the best deal.

5. Should you ever waive a home inspection?

This depends on the situation. In some scenarios such as an auction or buying straight from the bank, you won't have the option of a home inspection. If you get the chance, though, always get a home inspection. It's important to know what condition the home is in before making a financial commitment.

If you have any questions about home inspections, give me a call today. Thanks for watching!

10 Ways I Serve You

Thanks for joining me today! When it comes to buying and selling, you want a real estate agent who is passionate, knowledgeable and honest. That's why I wanted to share with you The Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer. I love this book because its philosophy reflects so much of how I look to approach my business.

1. Have a contagious, positive attitude - Having a positive outlook and optimistic attitude spreads to your clients. Give them confidence in their purchase or sale. This is an exciting time for families! 
2. Be excited about helping others - I have based my entire career on the concept of helping people. I want to do everything I can to make sure all your expectations are met.
3. Be self-assured, not arrogant - I have helped more than 1,200 families buy and sell. I have experienced so many different situations and because of that I am confident. Arrogance is often the trait of an unskillful or inexperienced agent.
4. I like people; they like me - I tell people all the time, I am not in the housing business, I'm in the people business. When I got into real estate it wasn't because I wanted to just work with properties and homes, it was because I loved helping and working with people.
5. Don't be just book smart - I have been in the Mike Ferry coaching for a number of years. I can't begin to tell you how fortunate I am. I have had the opportunity to work with countless professionals, the best of the best.
6. If you're not having fun, what's the point?  I enjoy my career and am passionate about helping you!
7. Do everything full force - A real estate transaction has a lot of steps and it's important that your agent has support. I have two staff members who help me make sure that nothing falls through the cracks.
8. Be outspoken, have integrity and be visibly honest - Your home is one of your biggest assets. I promise to always give 100% to get you what you want and to be honest and respectful every step of the way.
9. Concentrate on the details - As I said before I have staff members to help me with everything. With their help we can work efficiently to get you in your home quicker.
10. Be happy on the inside - You can always tell when someone isn't happy doing what they do. Would you have confidence in someone that is miserable?

These are 10 points I keep in mind every day to become a better agent for you. If you are ready to buy or sell, please give me a call today. I'd love to help you buy, sell or even just answer any of your questions.