The challenge comes when buyers want to use someone else’s money for their purchase, the banks. Appraisers don’t make the market; they interpret it, and give their opinion of value based on that interpretation. But, any interpretation or opinion of value also has to follow standards set by: USPAP, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD (FHA), investor guidelines (Wells Fargo, B of A, Flagstar, etc.), and the originating lenders guidelines. Then appraisers have to meet all of those guidelines, using a reduced number of available comparable sales.

What we have now is banks wanting appraisals with perfect comparable sales. They are also enforcing the strictest lending and appraisal guidelines in history. Add to that the fact that there are less comparable sales than normal, and buyers (and sellers) are at the mercy of the current “comparables.” It doesn’t necessarily mean that the home’s value is absolute, it just means that buyers can only borrow against what an appraiser can prove on paper. And, without a loan, there’s no sale. If a home is unique, it may be more difficult to find quality comps. In that case, the home may appraise below the contract price. Buyers are also learning that just because the appraisal is below the contract price, it does not automatically mean the price they agreed to pay isn’t fair. There are so many “it depends” situations in selling a home today, a good Realtor® can make the difference between simply getting frustrated with the process or getting your home sold.

For a seller, the best thing to do is to have an appraisal done first (and a home inspection). The most knowledgeable Realtors® will tell you that having an appraisal done, prior to listing your property, is just a necessary ingredient in today’s real estate process. If you really want to sell your home in this highly competitive market, you have to know upfront what a typical buyer may be able to borrow on your home. Pricing and condition are both critical to attract a buyer in this market. Real estate has always had cycles of buyer’s and seller’s markets. Today, it is a buyer’s market if there ever was one. They want it all, and they want it at a bargain price.

Right now, in most markets, the reality is there are more sellers than buyers. Sellers have set a realistic price to begin with, and find a Realtor® who understands what it takes to get a home sold in today’s marketplace. Sellers need to think like buyers. Have a pre-listing appraisal, look at the current competition, and price your home to move to the head of the class. You only get one shot at a first impression. No price reduction later ever has the same effect. If you want to sell your home today, you have to come armed with the ammunition to win the battle for buyers. By Michael Bolton & Hamp Thomas – Carolina Appraisers – Southern Pines, N.C. housingtechnologies@gmail.com.

If you could liken a successful residential offer and contract in less than two weeks, and at full price, to a carefully crafted meal, it might look a little something like this:

Ingredients:
1 thorough up front market analysis & marketing plan
2 cups of PRICING ahead of the Market Curve
1 helping of full blown pre listing inspections & subsequent follow up repairs
1 sprinkling of a professionally drawn out floor plan with exact and verifiable heated square footage
1 spotless de cluttered interior
2 well manicured yards (front & back)
4 generous helpings of neutral interior colors
1 additional information packet about the home (utilities, warranties, informational booklets)
1 very well informed & savvy SELLER
Cooking Directions:
Don’t stress how about they are combined or prepared. This is for your Realtor to do. Sit back and let them do their job.
Final Preparation:
All we are missing is to determine how much “pricing” we are going to add. Add too much and the indigestion and heartburn will stay with you longer then you can imagine. All the preliminary work you did could all be for naught and leave a bad taste in your mouth. Honor the current market data by adding the right price to the mix and you increase the odds of a enjoying a satisfying and rewarding banquet.

Final Note of Caution:
All ingredients are necessary to achieve the end result. By eliminating any one ingredient you are jeopardizing the overall presentation & quality to your guests and possibly to your ready, willing, able and preapproved diners. And just a heartfelt pre dinner prayer without the necessary preparation is no longer the automatic ticket to the finish line as it once might have been.
If you’re going to spend that much time in the kitchen, you might as well get it right the first time.
A professional full time Realtor has taken all the culinary classes necessary to help oversee and shepherd you thru this process. Let them help you find the right ingredients and the right procedures so they can shout it out to your dinner guests and to the entire world with the click of a few of their specialized utensils.
And to our savvy seller who only had their home on the market this past month for 12 days……bon appétit!
A job well done deserves a hearty round of applause and an after dinner drink of your choosing.

Bill Sahadi is the Broker/Owner of Fore Properties Realty Inc. in Southern Pines

In addition to actual experiences of other sellers that Bill shares in a free flowing and conversational format, Bill also gives potential sellers an insight into the psychology of today’s buyer as well as the role of a good buyer agent.

This overview gives today’s sellers specific advice and proven methods to enhance their chances of reaching a timely sale on their home.

In its latest forecast, which was also released this morning, NAR projects that existing-home sales will fall 6.1 percent in 2008 to 5.31 million, then rise 5.0 percent to 5.58 million in 2009. The median existing-home price is expected to fall 6.2 percent this year to $205,300, then rebound by 4.3 percent in 2009 to $214,000.

NAR currently projects new-home sales will decline 32.3 percent in 2008 to 525,000, then fall another 3.4 percent to 507,000 in 2009. The median new-home price is expected to decline 3.2 percent to $239,300 this year before rising 5.3 percent in 2009 to $251,900.

NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun says the performance of local housing markets varies greatly. “Some markets have seen a doubling in home sales from a year ago, while others are seeing contract signings cut in half. Price conditions vary tremendously, even within a locality, depending upon a neighborhood’s exposure to subprime loans.”

reprinted from the N.C. Bar Monthly Newsletter – Dec. 2006

BY WILLIAM G. SAHADI, CRS

In the past seven years I’ve been involved in more than 400 real estate transactions. That is 400 first-hand opportunities to view the value that a good real estate attorney brings to the table. The majority of these transactions have involved the sale of residential homes. In no less then 40 per- cent of these transactions emotions, misunder- standings, egos, timing and legal issues have reared their ugly head.

Imagine a symphony without a conductor, or a wheel without an axis. From the start, careful and caring real estate brokers perceive themselves as the Gatekeepers of the Transaction. It is from their relationship with the client that the stream of guidance, advice, and assistance begins. Relationships with the lenders, insurance compa- nies, inspectors and attorneys follow. For all these relationships, the attorney and the realtor are the ones who touch base with all the players. Their good communication is vital to an expedient and successful closing. In one sense, the realtor runs the entire race with the client, but it is only the attorney who can help them cross the finish line.

The attorney’s main role is to deliver good title to the client, prepare and review the settlement statement, prepare the deed transferring owner- ship and oversee the steps necessary to ensure the seller has clear title to the property and that the funds for purchase are properly transferred. By no means is this high-dollar entertainment. Yet a good attorney can make the whole process work even better by adopting the rhythms of the relationship that the client and real estate broker have formed. In the unfortunate situation of a fractured broker/client, or seller/buyer relation- ship, their presence, awareness and understand- ing are even more vital.

At some closings, it’s not uncommon for attor- neys to don their referee’s zebra outfits replete with a whistle around their necks. They have picked up the baton from the real estate broker and it’s their demeanor, their guidance and their understanding that gets the deal done. So many times issues arise that require cajoling, negotiat- ing and reasoning with the client. In almost all of these cases, it is the attorney who takes center stage. It is the attorney who has to resolve the issues. Title insurance companies do not offer this service.

We live in a consumer-savvy environment. Our clients are more educated today than ever before. Their awareness of price shopping is acute, yet all the articles and arguments about why title compa- nies can offer the client a more cost-friendly fee to handle their closing (and this is questionable), misses the most important point of what matters and of what is of true value. Is it valuable to save money when your interests might not be properly served? Is it cost effective to save a few dollars on most people’s largest single lifetime purchase? Is it wise not to have a good attorney overseeing any possible issues or watching for missteps that might affect the bottom line of the clients’ trans- action?

Finally, many realtors walk a fine line in drawing up documents and giving their clients advice, legal advice that should only come from the attorney representing their interests. We have developed a strong relationship with two area attorneys who are there for us when we call. They are there for us when we are drafting documents. They are there for us to help us serve our client. Many of our contracts and communications with our client are written with attorney assistance/guidance.

Four hundred transactions have taught me the value of good representation for my clients. My solid attorney relationships have enabled me to serve my client better, thereby making me a better real estate broker. A successful real estate attorney should always align himself/herself with reputable real estate professionals. They should market themselves to us as liability reduction experts, and always try to personalize and under- stand the relationship we establish with our clients along the way, so that together, we are both equipped to help one another. In this scenario, everyone wins, especially our client.

SAHADI IS A BROKER AND OWNER OF FORE PROPERTIES REALTY INC. HE CAN BE REACHED HERE.