Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate News / Buyer – Seller Tips

Preparing to Sell Your Rancho Santa Fe Home

Experienced agents know what puts prospective buyers off when they view a home, especially Rancho Santa Fe. For example, when buyers find dirty dishes in the sink, notice offensive pet odors or spot obvious stains suggesting a leaking roof they begin to devalue the property. Some buyers may decide to pass on the house completely while others may think about making an offer way below the asking price. So, a good agent’s first step is to help the homeowner see the house as others will see it and take care of problems.

Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Cycles

During a slow economic time, fewer people are buying homes in the Rancho Santa Fe market. Even so, some homeowners find themselves in a situation where they must sell. Families grow beyond the capacity of the home, employees get relocated, and some may even find themselves unable to make their mortgage payment - perhaps because of a layoff in the family.

During sellers' markets, Rancho Santa Fe real estate sells quickly and sellers have a lot of pricing power. As a result, prices rise more rapidly than at other times. During buyers' markets, Rancho Santa Fe real estate may sit on the market for a while before selling, so sellers become more flexible and may even drop their prices.

Building Rancho Santa Fe Home Equity

As a Rancho Santa Fe homeowner you have the right to pay more towards the principle loan amount each month. Let’s say your monthly payment is $700.00 a month and $100.00 a month is being applied to the principle. If you choose to pay $900.00 instead of $700.00, the $200.00 overage will be applied entirely to the principle. Thus, instead of gaining $1,200.00 a year in Rancho Santa Fe home equity, you gain $3,600.00.

The only factor being considered here is Home Equity. In individual cases it may be wiser to invest than to pre-pay your home loan. It also may be wiser to pay off high-interest, non-deductible loans before considering your Rancho Santa Fe home equity building options. Your financial advisor is the one to consult for these matters. If you would like up-to-the-minute information about Rancho Santa Fe home appreciation values in your area, please call or E-mail me today.

Buying Rancho Santa Fe Below Market

On most real estate Websites you can enter the parameters you want for your Rancho Santa Fe. Include the price, size, features and location and the technology will notify you automatically the moment a property that meets your needs comes on the market. Now if what you are looking for is a particular type of property for a price that is significantly under market, you’d better be prepared to act quickly because you aren’t the only one who’s looking for a bargain.

Often times, when a home comes on the market priced under the market there are extenuating circumstances. Maybe the house needs maintenance. Maybe the yard needs work. If you are prepared with a certain amount of knowledge about the costs of roofing, painting, landscaping and other types of deferred maintenance, you will be in a position to evaluate whether or not the Rancho Santa Fe is priced well enough that it truly is a bargain and not a fixer-upper nightmare.

When Rancho Santa Fe Does Not Sell

Here is where your agent’s expertise and diligence comes into play. A top agent will consider what similar Rancho Santa Fe have sold for within the last 3 to 6 months and compare those homes condition, features and location with your home. If there are no comparable sales in the area, which is often the case with custom or one-of-a-kind properties, the agent may suggest that you obtain a formal appraisal.

A homeowner who must sell and sell quickly needs to price their Rancho Santa Fe at or slightly below market to ensure a quick sale. A different homeowner may want to sell but has time and wants to get the top market price. These homeowners will often price the home slightly above current market prices and expect interested buyers to offer a lower amount to start the negotiation.

Rancho Santa Fe SALES

When you are thinking of buying Rancho Santa Fe, it may make sense to get a clear picture of the Rancho Santa Fe market before you get too far into your search. It is important to know the current market’s strengths and weaknesses so that you can make wise real estate decisions accordingly.