The Time to Sell is Now in Boston!

Recently released data from Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey revealed that rising home prices were the catalyst behind an eight-point jump in the net percentage of respondents who say now is a good time to sell to sell your home. The index is now 21 points higher than it was this time last year and just below the all-time high in June of this year. Overall, 62% of Americans surveyed said that now is a good time to sell (up from 58%), while 26% of respondents said that now is not a good time to sell (down from 30%). The net score is the difference between the two percentages, or 36%.

As home prices have increased, more and more Boston homeowners have realized that now is a good time to sell their homes in order to take advantage of the extra equity they now have.

Doug Duncan, Vice President & Chief Economist at Fannie Mae, had this to say,

    “In the early stages of the economic expansion, home selling sentiment trailed home buying sentiment by a significant margin. The reverse is true today. The net good time to sell share is now double the net good time to buy share, with record high percentages of consumers citing home prices as the primary reason for both perceptions. Such a sizable gap between selling and buying sentiment, if it persists, could weigh on the housing market through the rest of the year.”

Boston home buyer demand continues to outpace the supply of homes for sale, which has driven prices up across the country as well. All of this boils down to if you are considering listing your Boston home for sale this year, now is the time! Selling a home is an exciting and complex adventure. Contact a Boston, MA real estate agent to get the selling process underway!

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

Connect with me:

Facebook
Twitter

Upcoming Events in Boston

There is no shortage of events to enjoy this fall in Boston! To help you make some plans, as your Boston real estate agent, I’ve put together a list of upcoming events, activities and festivals. Plan ahead, call up some friends, gather your family, or head out on your own to meet new people. Enjoy!

• Boston Comedy Festival runs Sept. 20-24 throughout Boston. If you’re in need of a good laugh (and who isn’t?), you’ve got almost 100 comedians to choose from. They are competing for prizes, so you know it’ll be their best work! Check out the full lineup and purchase tickets to each event that interests you. 

• Boston Film Festival runs at the same time, Sept. 21-24. Head to Stuart Street Playhouse during these dates to check out films from evolving filmmakers. Then enjoy Q&A sessions with the directors after each film. Awards will be presented at the end. Check out the schedule and decide what you’d like to see! 

• Museum Day Live falls on a Saturday, which is perfect for visiting local Boston museums that you don’t normally get to visit. Sept. 23, get a free ticket for two and visit one of 34 Massachusetts museums that will be free that day. Plenty to choose from! 

• If you love food, good news. You’ve got two food festival options on Sept. 23. Let’s Talk About Food takes place in Copley Square and features hands-on cooking demos, an edible gardens workshop, samples and more. Phantom Gourmet Food Festival is for ages 21 and up and includes samples of 100 kinds of food near Fenway Park. 

• Harpoon Oktoberfest takes place Sept. 29 and 30 this year at Harpoon Brewery! Those age 21 and up look forward to this event every year in Boston! Enjoy celebrating German culture with beer in a souvenir pint cup, bratwurst, musicians in lederhosen, contests and more. 

• The Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival takes place on Sept. 30 and is Boston’s biggest block party! It’s free, outdoors and hosts numerous types of performers, including jazz, Latin, blues, funk and groove, on three stages. There’s also an 'instrument petting zoo' for kids, an array of food vendors and more. 

As you can see, you’ve got many options for fun in Boston during the rest of this month! Get out and enjoy all that this amazing city has to offer.

When you’re ready to accomplish your Boston real estate market goals this fall, contact me. As a Boston real estate agent, I am here and ready to answer all of your questions and to guide you through the home-buying or home-selling process, or both! The market is still hot, so don’t put off your real estate goals. Together, we can accomplish them. Give me a call!

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

Connect with me:

Facebook
Twitter

Why Your Boston Home Won’t Sell

If you’ve been keeping up with Boston real estate market news, you know that it’s a seller’s market right now! Inventory is low and buyer demand is high, making it ideal conditions for Boston home sellers. However, this doesn’t mean that your home will sell no matter what. If buyers aren’t in a hurry, they’ll hold out for something that better fits their needs or budget if need be.

As your Boston real estate agent, I am here to fill you in on some of the reasons why your home might not be selling. See if any of these may be true for you, if your home is currently listed, or see if any of these may be true of your house if you sell soon:

Price – What you list your Boston home for is the single most important factor to whether it will sell. It’s important to note that the market is what determines your home’s value, not you or your agent. The good news is that home values are up, so you should still sell for a great price. They might just not be up as much as you expect. Consider paying for an appraisal to see what it comes up with. Based on current market analysis, I can help you determine a price as well. Even if you reduce your asking price, you could still make out well in the end!

Subpar Photos – The majority of homebuyers are searching the internet for their next home. That means that it is more important than ever that you work with a Boston real estate agent who uses modern technology and professional photography to capture your Boston home as well as possible! This might mean staging your home to sell as well, which involves taking away personal items/photos, decluttering, cleaning and staging each room to look as close to a model home as it can.

FSBO – If you’re trying to sell your Boston home yourself as a for sale by owner listing, this may be why the home isn’t selling. Working with a Boston real estate agent allows your listing to show up in many more places than if you list on your own. More prospective buyers and agents will see your listing. Plus, an agent knows what you should list it for, how to stage it, how to market it with quality photos and description, how to negotiate on your behalf, how to show it when you’re not around, and so much more. Buyers appreciate working with an agent rather than the seller, and homes often sell for more!

If you have questions, or you need home-selling assistance in the Boston real estate market, contact me! As an experienced Boston real estate agent, I am here and ready to help you with all of your buying and selling needs this fall.

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

Connect with me:

Facebook
Twitter

Boston, MA – Do You Need a Realtor?

If you are in the market to buy your own Boston home you likely could go it alone and purchase your dream home, but why should you take on that burden all by yourself? This is likely the biggest financial decision of your entire life, and you need a Boston real estate agent if you want to do it right. Here’s why.

Expertise. A Boston real estate agent has loads of expertise. Real estate has its own language of acronyms and jargon and your realtor is trained to speak that language fluently. Buying a Boston home requires various forms, reports, and other technical documents.  Real estate agents have the expertise to help you prepare the perfect deal, all while avoiding delays or costly mistakes.

Searching power. The internet is awesome and you can shop for almost anything, including real estate.  But, realtors have access to more listings than you will find on your favorite online real estate listing site. Many times, properties are available, but not actively advertised, they can help you find those hidden listings.

Negotiation. Any time you buy or sell a home, you’re going to encounter negotiations—and as today’s housing market heats up, those negotiations are more likely than ever to get a little heated. Don’t you want a well-informed and professional negotiator on your side to seal the best deal for you?

Connections. Real estate agents make it their mission to know everyone who can possibly help in the process of buying or selling a home.  Professionals such as mortgage brokers, real estate attorneys, home inspectors, and more are part of your Boston real estate agent’s network.  More connections equal less work and research for you.

This is the biggest financial (and possibly emotional) decision of your life, and guiding you through it isn’t a responsibility realtors take lightly. Whether you are in the market to sell your Boston home or you are wanting to buy a Boston home you will benefit from the help of a real estate professional. When you are ready, contact a Boston real estate agent real estate agent.

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

Connect with me:

Facebook
Twitter