Crystal Saves The Deal

Smart sellers know that crunching the numbers is always the better route to an accurate home price. Here's how they do it. #1 They Avoid Overpricing Homeowners often think that it's OK to overprice at first, because — who knows? — maybe you'll just get what you're asking for. Although you can certainly lower an inflated price later, you'll sacrifice a lot in the process. Just ask Candace Talmadge. She originally listed her Lancaster, Texas, home for $129,000, but "eventually had to accept the market reality" and chop $4,000 off the price. The home's location proved challenging: Buyers were either turned off by the area — a lower-income neighborhood south of Dallas — or unable to afford the home.  "Sellers have to keep in mind the location," says Talmadge. "Who are going to be the likely buyers?" The most obvious pitfall: A house that remains on the market for months can prevent you from moving into your...

3 Signs the Housing Market Is on the Rebound The residential real estate market has been plodding along for most of the year. However, three recent reports show the market may be on the verge of a rebound: 1. Existing Home Sales  (closed sales) are up, marking two consecutive months of growth. 2. Pending Home Sales  (contracts signed) are up with each of the four major regions reporting both month-over-month growth and year-over-year gains in contract activity. Here is the month-over-month growth: ·          The Northeast rose 0.7% ·          The Midwest increased 0.6% ·          The South increased 1.4% ·          The West grew 3.1% 3. Buyer Traffic  (the number of people shopping for a home) is up compared to the same time last year, and  for the first time in 13 months . ·  ...